Canta Per Me
by hasu86
Summary: AU. In a crumbling Japan ruled by Syndicates and paid for in blood, Haruno Sakura lives behind flying silver bullets and lazy white smoke.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

* * *

**Title: **_ Canta Per Me _

**Author: **hasu86

**Character(s):** Sakura Haruno

**Genre:** Action/Drama

**Rating:** M

**Disclaimer:** Naruto does not belong to me.

**50_shinobi Theme:** Theme #6 – Bandage

**Summary: **AU. In a crumbling Japan ruled by Syndicates and paid for in blood, Haruno Sakura lives behind flying silver bullets and lazy white smoke.

* * *

Cigarette smoke languidly rose from between her parted lips as she sat on the windowsill, looking out into midnight and bright neon lights. Cool air blew in, tossed and turned stray locks of soft pink rose and kissed her skin before sighing away in hushed, faded tones.

Another long drag and she found herself lost among daydreams and wishes and infinite stars just out of her reach.

**…**

The silver bullet flew straight and true, intercepted the target with slick accuracy to the temple before the men in dark suits erupted in chaos, scrambling like panicked little ants around their dead leader.

Haruno Sakura quickly disassembled her sniper rifle with deft hands, snapped the cover of her black carrying case closed and flew down the fire escape with ease and agility. Swinging over the rickety metal railing, she landed lightly on her feet and rapidly disappeared among the morning rush of bodies.

**…**

"Target eliminated."

"We've verified it. The funds have been transferred."

She promptly ended the call and hailed a taxi. Waiting for the dirty yellow cab to come to a stop, she made sure that they indeed had transferred the money to her account. Hearing the robotic voice recite the significantly increased balance, Sakura slipped into the car and gave herself a brief moment of reprieve.

"Where to pretty lady?" The balding Russian cab driver asked.

"The airport."

She closed her eyes, hidden behind the dark shade of her sunglasses. After hearing his 'yes ma'am', she ignored his annoying whistling in favor of trying to catch a few precious moments of sleep in this dying city's loud cacophony.

"What the hell? What's with all the road blocks?" Sakura heard him murmur, a string of curses following.

"Maybe someone died." She offered.

He snorted and turned a different corner. "I wouldn't be surprised. Seems like someone's either gett'in shot or blown to pieces every other day around here."

"Hn." And she wondered, in a city that was already decaying around the edges, if anything even mattered anymore.

* * *

She lived in a crumbling Japan, in a spacious and barely noticeable two room apartment in the east side of Tokyo with thick bulletproof glass windows and soft plushy carpet she wished she had more time to admire and feel. But at least it had a lived in feel to it, at least it was a little cozier than what would be expected of someone in her profession.

The door closed behind her, the security locks automatically snapping and beeping into place as she made her way over to the far wall by the fiber optic screen. Pressing a button hidden behind and below her large, neatly trimmed bonsai, the wall let out a slight hiss before spinning around. She placed her black carrying case on one of the empty shelves, joining the two others already there and two silver, fully customized, leaf engraved 1911 handguns. Another press of the button and the wall reverted back to the normal white.

Unzipping her fitted brown leather jacket, Sakura shrugged out of it and threw it on the couch to join other various articles of clothing and kicked off her matching boots. She stripped off her other clothing on the way to her large bathroom, let loose the long braid trailing down her back and turned on the shower. It wasn't long before she finally let herself fully relax under the pressurized water, allowing her shoulders to slump and a long exhale to leave her lips.

**…**

Her phone rang and after donning a terry cloth bathrobe, she threw the call onto the fiber optic screen. Her eyebrows rose upon seeing the caller before her green eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Sakura?"

"What do you want Hatake?"

"Nice to see you too, muffins. Did you just get out of the shower?"

She rolled her eyes and ran a hand through her still wet hair. "Why do I hear gunshots in the background?"

"I need a favor."

After two years, he was finally calling in the debt she owed him? She watched as he momentarily disappeared, only to pop up again, this time the lighting around him dimmer. She could barely make out her ex-sensei's profile.

"I'm not getting involved with whatever shit you got yourself into."

She heard another male voice but it was too muffled for her to clearly make out what was just said.

"You owe me one Sakura. My team and I need a place to crash for a few days until this blows over."

She gritted her teeth. _Damn it._ "Fine. But this is it Kakashi. If you bring hell so help me god I will make sure your life becomes it."

He disregarded her empty threat. "See you in fifteen."

The screen went blank just as she heard a gunshot ricochet off something hard.

And as she closed her eyes to keep away the slight twinge of worry, a taunting voice inside her head told her things were on the verge of tipping, whether she wanted them to or not.

**…**

After Sakura had quickly punched in the access code, they stumbled in through the doorway, beat up and bleeding with various cuts and bruises.

"You weren't followed were you?" Sakura asked, helping him with his two exhausted teammates.

"Hope not." Kakashi replied, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Very reassuring." She threw him a glare before gently lowering the chocolate haired man onto the makeshift bedding she had created on the floor of her living room. A blond haired man joined him with a grunt and bleary eyes.

"Who's the babe Kakashi?"

"Stay still Naruto." Kakashi said, voice tired and strained as he fell back onto the plush couch.

"But—"

Sakura pinned the blonde with a hard look that immediately shut him up.

"I want names and details. Start talking Hatake." Sakura demanded as she tied her hair into a messy bun and surveyed the damage. "And don't even tell me it's classified."

"Hyuuga Neji and Uzumaki Naruto. Both elite operatives." He hissed softly as he shrugged out of his coat.

A rough hand stopped her wrist when she went to take off his blood soaked collared shirt and she found herself looking into distrusting pearly lavender eyes.

"Calm down Neji. She's fine." Kakashi assured.

After a few moments of intense scrutiny, Sakura pulled her arm away and sifted through her comprehensive first aid kit as she let the man take off his own top.

"Continue." Sakura again commanded, slapping on a pair of latex gloves and pulling out a bottle of alcohol, a sterilized needle and thread, and bandages. After quickly cleaning the wound, she started to stitch up the ugly laceration on his side.

"Ambushed by Sound during reconnaissance. "

"How the hell did that happen?" She ignored the almost inaudible grunt of pain from the man below her as she pulled a little too hard on the thread in her surprise.

"Not sure. Our positions were somehow compromised and before we knew it, bullets were flying." Kakashi replied, almost smiling when he found a bottle of whiskey and a glass sitting on the shelf underneath the coffee table.

"Where?" Sakura quickly finished the stitching and proceeded to bandage him up. She made quick work of his other minor injuries, all the while ignoring the way his eyes followed her every motion.

She heard Kakashi's swallow of bliss, knowing he'd found the alcoholic stash she always kept for moments like these.

"Three miles from here on Tokyo Avenue and Rain."

Sakura moved on to the one named Naruto and saw his curious blue eyes. A hesitant smile crossed his lips and she wondered why the hell he was smiling at a time like this, when a bullet had grazed his shoulder and a large cut on his face was congealing.

"Did you get rid of all of them?" Sakura cleaned the injury on his face and then on his shoulder, paying no mind to his hisses of pain and the rather funny way his lips and eyebrow twitched when the alcohol seeped into his broken skin.

"Most, but there were too many to count. I'm pretty sure we lost them on the way here. Your place isn't exactly easy to find."

Sakura nodded and pulling the black thread one final time, snipped the end and bandaged his now closed wound. Before standing up, she placed a large band-aid over the cut on his cheek.

"Thanks. You're crazy efficient, you know that?" Naruto murmured with a grateful grin, laying back down and feeling his body slowly shut down on him from the overuse.

She offered him a small smile before standing up and making her way over to Kakashi. "You two should rest." Sakura glanced over her shoulder at the other man and saw that he had already closed his eyes, his breathing steady.

It must have been some fight, she thought.

Her vibrant green eyes fell on Kakashi then and noticed the slowly spreading carmine taking over his white collared shirt.

"You got shot didn't you?"

"Maybe."

"Sit up before you get blood on my couch."

He did as told, glancing at his ex-student. "I'm sorry."

"You've compromised all of us you know." She whispered, already snipping away at his shirt.

"I know, but I didn't really have a choice. We had nowhere to go."

"I understand." She cleaned around the wound and looked at it closely.

"How's life?"

She flicked her eyes up, seeing his shadow of a smile behind the mask. "The same as usual. I just got back from Moscow before your ugly mug called me."

He chuckled, low and dry. "Killing people all by yourself now huh?"

"Ready?" She didn't give him time to respond as she plunged the tweezers into the gun wound to dig out the metal bullet.

Kakashi almost shattered the glass in his hand. "Shit. Warn a man next time you decide to plunge something sharp and metallic into him." He bit out just as Sakura pulled out the collapsed bullet.

She threw him an annoyed glance before patching him up.

"There's still a place—"

"Don't Kakashi. We've been through this before." She stood up and took off the bloody gloves, tossing them into the trash.

The silver haired man conceded, running a hand through his disheveled locks of silver. "Right. The Syndicate sends their love anyway."

"I'm sure." She turned around, first aid kit in hand and disappeared into the short hallway that led to the rarely used second bathroom and guestroom.

Sakura returned a few moments later, three blankets in her arms to find a dozing ex-sensei. Shaking her head, she quietly placed one coverlet over each of the men, stopping for just a heartbeat longer to stare at this Neji Hyuuga with the opalescent eyes.

Tearing herself away, she took a deep breath and proceeded to check her security cameras and locks. Finding everything in place, she dimmed the lights and questioned her sanity for letting three members of the Konoha Syndicate into her home.

She would give them two days before she kicked them out. Two days and that was it.

* * *

"Where the hell are you Hatake?"

His eye crinkled in a fake smile. "Safe. The reconnaissance was leaked and we were attacked by Sound."

Tsunade growled her irritation. "Safe? And where exactly is safe?"

"Somewhere. Naruto and Neji are fine by the way, suffering only a few minor injuries that were easily treated."

The blonde leader of the Konoha Syndicate sighed in exasperation. "When can I expect you back?"

"A few days at most."

"Fine. I expect a full report upon your arrival."

"Of course Tsunade-sama."

Kakashi ended the visual call, watching as the fiber optic glass went back to being crystal clear. She didn't need to know they were currently at Sakura's place. Knowing her, she'd probably send out the whole syndicate in search for them and the last thing he wanted was to piss off his once and former student.

Heaving a sigh, he walked back into the living room, sunlight streaming in through the small opening of the curtain. He'd awoken to no Sakura in sight, a snoring blonde and the sound of the shower running. Seeing no Neji, he had figured the younger man was the one in the bathroom and wishing to save himself a verbal ass whooping from Tsunade, proceeded to call her right away.

But as he came up from his musings, he found himself on the other end of an expectant look.

"Who is she?" Neji questioned, wearing one of the three outfits he'd found folded on the shelves in the bathroom.

"I'd like to know that too Kakashi." Naruto said as he emerged from the short hallway, freshly clean and clothed.

"An old friend." He responded vaguely.

"Can she be trusted?"

Kakashi glanced at the Hyuuga. "I'd trust her with my life if that's what you mean."

Naruto continued to dry his hair with the towel and sent Neji a reassuring grin. "She patched us up good didn't she? Relax Hyuuga, she seems harmless enough."

Neji raised a dark brow and shook his head. Didn't they know that it was the _harmless _looking ones that they had to watch out for? They were the most dangerous ones of all. But nevertheless he conceded, knowing enough to trust Hatake Kakashi and his judgments. The silver haired man had managed to save their lives after all.

"Get all the rest you can today. We head out tomorrow before dawn." And with a dismissive wave, Kakashi headed to the bathroom for his own shower.

**…**

An hour later, Sakura walked through the door of her apartment and instinctively her hand went to the silver 9mm handgun strapped to the bottom of the small table beside her. But the noises weren't threats and she had to remind herself that there were three men currently doing god knows what in her home.

She quickly hung up her keys, shifted the brown paper grocery bag in her arms, and sauntered further into her apartment. She felt three pairs of eyes instantly land on her and then heard the collective sigh of relief. She raised a brow, amusement flickering across her emerald eyes as she took off her sunglasses and scarf.

Placing the grocery bag on the counter that overlooked the living room, she took off her favorite fitted leather jacket and draped it on the back of one of the counter height stools. To say it wasn't uncomfortable to be subjected to curious and intense gazes would be a lie. She wasn't used to having company in her home and because of this, she found herself slightly on edge.

And maybe Kakashi knew this because he suddenly spoke up, breaking the awkward atmosphere. "Shopping?"

"I figured I should be a good host and feed you guys." She glanced at her once and former sensei, seeing that he had found the set of clothes she left him. Her eyes then darted to the other two males and mentally patted herself on the back for guessing their correct sizes.

Naruto bounded over to the kitchen and proceeded to help her out. "Thanks again. For you know…saving our asses yesterday." He threw her a genuine grin and it was ridiculously contagious that she found a smile tugging at her own lips.

"Don't mention it." She turned around only to almost run into the chocolate haired man who'd somehow managed to make it into the kitchen without her notice. She quickly sidestepped to avoid running face first into his chest.

She looked up and was met with those pearly eyes of his.

"You have my…thanks, Haruno-san."

Sakura held back an amused laugh at how stiff he sounded. This Neji Hyuuga was definitely not used to thanking people. He probably had an even tougher time apologizing.

"Too formal. Call me Sakura." She skirted around him to get to the empty fridge, strangely unsettled by his curious look.

"Mind moving for me Neji? You're blocking the way." Naruto gently shoved him aside so he too could get to the fridge and it wasn't long before the blonde engaged the pinkette in light conversation about various dishes they could cook up.

But as the Hyuuga leaned against the counter, quietly observing and a little annoyed, he knew there was more to her. Anyone connected to Hatake Kakashi had a complex story. And anyone with reflexes and an effortless grace like hers was hiding something, whether intentional or not. He saw it in the way she handled them yesterday and saw it just moments before when she easily avoided colliding into him. He wouldn't deceive himself and say he wasn't intrigued. But as a Hyuuga and elite member of the Konoha Syndicate, finding time to quench that intrigue still remained in the dark.

**…**

"So how old are you Sakura?" Naruto asked as he leaned back in the chair, stomach full and happy to have a real meal for once.

"Twenty three."

"And what do you do?"

"I'm a nurse." She lied easily. "And what do _you_ do, Naruto?"

He jerked his thumb in Neji and Kakashi's direction. "We try to clean up the city. The Sound and Akatsuki Syndicates are always causing trouble for us."

It was the first time she heard of a syndicate being referred to as something _positive_. The three largest and deadliest organizations didn't try to clean up the city. They fought and died for it, had ridiculous skirmishes and bloody wars for it. But the more she talked to the blonde, the more she was beginning to understand how optimistic he could be. Tokyo was crumbling and dying, just like all the other cities around the world. And yet here he was, trying to save it all. She didn't know whether to consider him an idiot or a man on a genuine mission.

"We fight for what is ours." Neji said and that was more of the answer she was looking for.

"As we all do." Sakura commented, catching his eyes for a brief moment before looking away.

* * *

They were in her study, the orange red sun drowning in the distance.

"We're leaving before dawn." Kakashi told her.

She nodded, loose pink hair spilling over her shoulders. "Good. I was going to kick you three out tomorrow anyway."

He heard the slight tease in her tone. "After this—"

"No more. My debt's paid Kakashi."

He laughed one of his rare laughs. "You've become such a hard ass these past few years."

She smirked. "It comes with the business."

The sudden red blink of the fiber optic screen told her she had an urgent incoming call. She felt dread creep into her bones as she rushed past Kakashi and touched the screen.

"Miss Ume! I couldn't stop them! Please get out!" Blood suddenly danced across the screen and then the line went dead.

"I'm going to kick your ass after this is done Hatake." She looked him straight in his mismatched eyes and he thought maybe his heart broke a little for bringing the syndicate's problems into her life and her home, into this beautiful castle she had built all by herself.

"That's if we make it out alive."

She glared at him as they ran out the room. "You better hope we don't."

"What's going on?" Naruto asked, confusion in his features.

"You guys were tailed and now we need get the hell out of here." Sakura replied as she pulled her fitted leather jacket over her white tank.

"Kakashi, there's a button behind Mr. Ukki." He immediately understood and ran over to the dying plant, felt around and just like that the wall swung open to reveal five rows of different weaponry.

"What the—" Naruto felt his mouth hang open. "I thought you were a nurse!"

"Shut up and hurry Naruto! We've got exactly five minutes before they blow that door straight to hell!" Sakura shouted as the other wall swung around. She quickly grabbed her silver engraved 1911 handguns and the black pack on the top shelf that housed her favorite sniper rifle.

"Begin self destruct." And as she saw the countdown flicker to life, she pulled out the straps and secured it around her shoulders before turning around.

"Who are you?" Neji asked, looking hard into her bright green eyes.

"Maybe I'll tell you if we live." She answered before heading over to another wall by the door. It swung open to reveal a hidden stairwell just as she heard the helicopter and the rain of bullets against her bulletproof windows.

"This is now the only way out. It leads to my personal garage," She grabbed the keys and threw it to Kakashi. "If I don't make it in five, _leave_."

"Not without you Sakura." Kakashi argued.

"You don't have a choice." She glanced hard at Neji and Naruto. "And neither do the both of you."

And then the windows erupted and collapsed under the strain of constant firepower and as glass flew through the air, she shoved them towards the stairs and covered them.

Sakura didn't have time to lament the destruction of her apartment as she pulled the triggers of her twin 1911's. Her bullets flew true and deadly as they hit and killed the man in the helicopter. Another two shots and the pilot slumped over in a bloody mess before the helicopter spun out of control and collided with the adjacent building. And if that wasn't enough, she nearly got her head blown off when the door to her home exploded in a mix of plaster and steel.

She rolled out of the way, reloaded her guns and opened fire on the incoming men. But they kept on piling in, a seemingly endless stream of Sound puppets not afraid to die, or maybe just too stupid to know better. Sakura caught the glint of sharp metal to her left and avoided the wakizashi strike. Like quicksilver, she brought her right arm around, aimed it at his chest and pulled the trigger. She didn't have time for another thought as she deftly evaded a right hook, her leg kicking out to connect with a body and in the next second she was reloading the last of her bullets and dodging a barrage of them.

Sakura hissed when one grazed her thigh, but she didn't have time to worry about it as she kicked up her kitchen table to serve as a temporary shield. Distantly, she realized that Mr. Ukki was officially dead and that her poor bonsai lay in ruins.

A swell of anger ripped through her and spotting the audio remote, she quickly swiped it up. One press of the on button and her surround sound immediately blared to life. That split second of distraction was all she needed as she swept up, long luminescent pink hair fluttering all around her, and rained silver engraved bullets on the mindless men.

But from all sides, Sound continued to converge upon her and when she ran out of hot silver, she felt the point of a gun on the back of her head and she stilled, chest heaving.

"Where are they?" It was an icy smooth tenor that breathed into her ear.

"Go to hell."

Strong fingers suddenly gripped her hair and Sakura soon found herself staring up into black pools of liquid steel.

He peered at her closely. "Who are you?"

She smirked. It seemed that was the question of the day. "Just another pretty face."

"_Countdown completed. Self destruct in three, two, one."_

His eyes widened as the first of the explosions went off and sent them to her once pristine carpet. Sakura tore out of his hold and clambered to her feet. The second explosion was too close for comfort as she made a mad dash to the hidden stairs, shoving her 1911's under the waist of her dark pants and jumping over her fallen furniture.

But Sakura supposed she shouldn't have been surprised to see Neji emerge, expertly wielding his own guns to give her some much needed cover.

"You were supposed to be gone by now!" She shouted, the third and final explosion dangerously rocking her apartment. She could feel the heat of the blasts almost kiss her skin goodnight.

"Consider us even." Neji grunted as he grabbed her outstretched hand and pulled her to him. He almost missed her sharp inhalation but thought nothing of it as they raced down the dimly lit stairwell and into the garage.

Kakashi and Naruto both heaved a sigh of relief when they saw them and as soon as Neji jumped into the black convertible, closely followed by a stumbling Sakura, the silver haired man took off, the sound of screeching tires a distant echo as they tore through the shadowy streets.

Gritting her teeth, pain wracking her body, Sakura unzipped her jacket and took in the damage. "Shit."

Immediately Neji's opalescent eyes saw the gunshot wound marring her left side and realized the dangerous amount of blood she was losing.

"Shit Sakura!" Naruto's blue eyes widened and he instantly began to dig through the glove compartment for a first aid kit, eyes clouding over with worry when he found nothing.

Kakashi glanced behind him, veered around a corner as he pressed down on the gas pedal. "Your pretty ass better not die."

"Shut up Hatake. This is all your damn fault." She hissed when Neji applied pressure, vision swimming as she found it harder and harder to breathe.

"You were supposed to evade the bullets!" Kakashi bit back, worry flashing across his eye. "Didn't you learn anything?"

"I'm not a fucking super hero!" She shouted back and almost lost it as sharp agony ripped through her.

"Careless woman." Neji reprimanded, holding her glare with his own as he tried to stem the flow of her blood.

"Here, wrap this around her!" Naruto handed the Hyuuga a long strip of cloth, realizing that the blonde had ripped his own shirt.

Neji propped her up against his body, hands quickly wrapping the cloth tightly around her bleeding middle to create a makeshift bandage. Sakura arched her body in pain, gasping for air as the edges of her vision slowly dimmed.

"Sakura?" Neji held her, lightly slapping her face to keep her awake.

"Fucking syndicates…" She rasped, fingers clenching his shirt front. "I swear to god if I make it through this…I'm shooting one of you."

But her grip was slackening and her eyes were closing and Neji didn't know what else to do for the pink haired woman fading in his arms.

"Stay with me woman." He ordered, squeezing her blood stained hand.

Sakura managed a sarcastic smirk. "That was almost romantic and sweet, Hyuuga." Another sharp hiss tore from her lips as her eyes fluttered shut. "You know, you're pretty cute for a syndicate guy, but that doesn't mean I like you."

"It's a start." He gave her a smirk of his own and noticed the makeshift bandage had already completely bled through.

"Sakura, I won't let you die! I still don't know who you are and until I do, you're not fucking dying!" Naruto shouted, smacking Kakashi on the shoulder and yelling at him to go the hell faster. The older man resisted the urge to pummel the blonde as he veered sharply around another corner and into their territory.

A wry smile touched her lips as she slowly succumbed to the siren call of darkness. "Haruno Sakura…contract killer."

* * *

He picked himself up from the rubble of the once intact apartment, brushing off bits of plaster and glass from his dusty suit. And as his dark eyes flared, almost red with anger and no small amount of irritation, he quickly surveyed the broken surroundings and the dead men at his feet. A flash of the pink haired woman danced across his mind, fierce and completely unafraid while she rained bullets like hellfire and dodged them with practiced ease.

He'd never seen her before and a woman of her skill would be hard to forget. So that left him with the nagging questions of who exactly was she and what was her connection to the Konoha Syndicate. Sirens in the distance told him the police were on their way and a look around gave him nothing as to the identity of this woman. She had certainly covered her tracks well.

But unfortunately there were things to take care of right now, police to be hushed and dead bodies to get rid of. Pulling out his phone, he quickly made the call.

"Targets got away. I need a clean up crew at the apartment."

"You failed to apprehend them again Sasuke-kun? Tsk, tsk. I'm sure Orochimaru will be—"

"Shut the hell up Kabuto. Cleanup crew. _Now_." He hung up on the smug bastard and pocketed his phone.

One last look around and a few overturned pieces of plaster later, still nothing.

A barely perceptible smirk crossed his lips. _Hide and seek it is then_.

* * *

Sakura wondered if she was dead and had gone to hell. Funny though, she had always thought hell would smell like smoke and burning flesh or maybe rotting dead carcasses and that demons with red slits for eyes would have horrible in-need-of-some-serious-brushing-and-mouthwash breath as they hovered over her forsaken soul before promptly devouring her whole.

Apparently the movies got it all wrong because it sure as hell didn't smell like that. It smelled like a damn _hospital_. That sterile, antiseptic smell with the faintest trace of metallic blood. She didn't necessarily hate it but she wasn't fond of it either.

A part of her considered the possibility that she may still very well be _alive._ But the darkness had felt so comforting and oh so real and she had been bleeding all over the place. Bastards had shot her clean and she knew, well was pretty sure anyway, that she'd bled to death.

So what was up with everything brightening all around her? As if the sun had just decided to shine through a lucky window?

Okay, so maybe she wasn't dead after all.

And that was a good thing. She'd at least get to shoot some syndicate asshole for effectively ruining her relatively peaceful life. And her plants. She missed Mr. Ukki and Ms. Bonsai already. Not to mention her apartment with the lived in feel to it and her nice comfortable bed.

_Damn it all to hell._

And as Sakura stirred from the depths of sleep, she hoped her guns were nearby so she could attempt to shoot someone in the leg or maybe the foot.

The sunshine nearly blinded her and she had to close her eyes, burrow further into the white pillow with a slight groan of pain. Several blinks and pathetic tries later, she finally managed to make the black dots go away and dizziness dissipate to a tolerable level.

After a few moments of soaking in her white and clean surroundings, everything clicked and Sakura knew exactly where she was. The Konoha Syndicate's very own HQ medical wing. _Fucking wonderful. _

Sakura resisted the urge to throw a random temper tantrum and instead did a quick sweep of her body's injuries. Her middle was wrapped with clean fresh bandages and other than a few cuts and bruises here and there, she wasn't in bad shape.

She slowly sat up, careful not to reopen her gunshot wound and risk even more time in a place she had no desire to be in. Taking a deep breath, she glanced around for her twin silver 1911 guns and saw them sitting on the bedside table along with her black pack. She reached over and really now, she wasn't the least bit surprised to find them empty. A quick look inside the pack and of course, the bullets had all been confiscated.

Resigning herself to her current predicament, she set aside her things and leaned her head back against the headboard. How long had she been out? A day or two? Maybe three? She hoped not too long, for her clients' sakes anyway. And perhaps her own.

Verdant eyes wandered to the window where sunlight streamed in, the clock on the wall telling her it was a little past two in the afternoon.

She heard the door quietly open along with a soft gasp of surprise.

"You're awake."

It took a bit of effort not to roll her eyes and shoot the young nurse an irritated glare. She had to remind herself not to take out her aggression on those undeserving and very fortunate souls. They weren't the ones she had a problem with.

The nurse, who looked to be around eighteen or nineteen, shuffled forward, her nervousness apparent in the way she bit her lip and the shiftiness of her brown eyes. "Is there anything you'd like Haruno-san?"

'_Bullets and a damn way out.'_ She thought. "How long have I been asleep?" Her voice was croaky, dry from not being used.

"Four days." The shy young nurse replied as she went to another table on the far side of the room and poured a glass of water. She walked back and handed it to Sakura, who took it gratefully.

After a few swallows, the pink haired woman sighed and placed the cup down on the small bedside table, next to her shiny guns.

Silence trickled by, the only sound being that of a pen scratching across paper. The nurse piped up, unable to take the quiet any longer.

"You were very lucky Haruno-san. Three more inches to the right and you would've sustained irreparable damage. You lost a lot of blood though, but thanks to Hatake-san's quick driving, he got you here just in time. You should heal up like new, maybe a scar but it won't be noticeable. Shizune-san is an excellent medic after all. "

"Thanks." Sakura murmured, running a hand through her loose pink hair. "So when can I leave?"

"Not anytime soon."

"Oh, Hatake-san!" The nurse started as she clutched the clipboard to her chest.

"Could you give us some private time Moegi?"

"Of course." She nodded and quickly left.

Sakura, not in a very pleasant mood, proceeded to shoot Kakashi a verdant glare. "You suck."

He ignored her, pulled a chair forward and sat down next to the bed as he let the brown pack he carried drop to the floor. "I didn't have a choice and I wasn't going to let you die."

She drew her knees up and rested her head sideways on them, eyes on her former sensei. He wasn't wearing his customary mask today so the scar was prominent against his handsome features, a constant reminder of the sacrifices he had made for the Syndicate. But she refused to make the same ones. She refused to follow in her parents' footsteps because all it would ever get her was six feet under before she was ready.

Sakura felt her anger subside and a rueful smile take its place. "I guess not." Another lengthy sigh escaped her lips. "I'm on lockdown aren't I?"

He gave her a lopsided grin. "Yep, but when has that ever stopped you?"

"True." She whispered, a few strands of long pink hair falling across her vision. She brushed them behind an ear.

"How's Naruto doing? And the Hyuuga?"

Kakashi shrugged. "Alive and well and both worried—Naruto more so than Neji—that you would never wake up again. I'm sure they'll be happy to know you did."

"Hnn." She turned to face the bright window, looking out into the blue sky. "Can you do me a favor Kakashi?"

He leaned against the chair, already knowing what she was going to ask. "I can only give you a few hours. Are you sure?"

"That'll be enough. Tell them I'm sorry."

"They'll look for you. I think you caught Neji's attention and once you have, it's hard to get out of it. Hyuuga's are known for their persistence."

A smile curved her lips as she straightened to look at him. "That's good to know."

Kakashi stood up, came closer and ruffled her hair for old time's sake. "Take care of yourself. If you need anything, you know where to reach me." He gently placed the brown pack in front of her and started to leave.

"Thanks Kakashi and please, don't _ever_ call for shit like this again."

His eye crinkled as he threw a wave over his shoulder. "Next time it'll be coffee. Promise."

Sakura snorted. "Yeah, coffee and flying bullets." She muttered.

* * *

"What the hell do you mean she's _gone_?" Tsunade pounded the desk, the sound thunderous and angry.

Moegi visibly flinched and shrank back. "I-I went to check up on her a few hours after Hatake-san visited and the bed was empty and all her belongings gone."

The blonde woman cursed, clenched her fists as her eyebrow violently twitched. "Kotetsu!"

The door flew open and he appeared immediately. "Yes Tsunade-sama?"

"I want Hatake, Uzumaki, and Hyuuga in my office right now!"

"M-May I be excused Tsunade-sama?" Moegi asked, unable to take the tension so thick in the air.

The leader of the Konoha Syndicate waved her away, eyes closed in thought and barely registering the young nurse's hasty retreat.

It wasn't long before all three were in her office. Tsunade pierced them with a hard look, most especially a certain silver haired man who leaned casually against the wall.

"Where is she?"

"Who?" Naruto asked.

"Sakura Haruno."

"She's gone?" While Neji's outside appearance remained unfazed, inside he was fighting a losing battle. How the hell had she escaped?

"Without a trace."

Naruto slumped in one of the two chairs in front of Tsunade's desk. "How did that happen? There's security everywhere and she isn't that difficult to miss."

"You tell me."

"Are you presuming we had something to do with this?" Kakashi remarked.

"You know damn well I am!" She snapped. "Especially you Hatake! Three years! Three years I haven't seen or heard anything from Sakura and then out of the blue, you storm in with her. So tell me Hatake, how'd you do it?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Kakashi pulled his eye-crinkling smile out and gifted the irate leader of the Konoha Syndicate with it.

Practically fuming now, Tsunade turned her venomous glare on the other two. "Hyuuga? Uzumaki? Care to talk?"

"How the hell would I know? I wanted her to stay just as much as you, Tsunade-sama." Naruto said, eyes flashing his familiar blue fire.

"How long has she been missing?" Neji asked.

"About three hours."

"Plenty of time to disappear." The Hyuuga stated. "It'd be pointless to try and track her down. She isn't exactly helpless."

"We're probably never going to see her again." Kakashi commented offhandedly.

Naruto slouched, completely deflated. "I can't believe she's gone."

"She's a contract killer, Uzumaki. Vanishing is part of what they do best." Neji didn't mince his words. He understood the nature of the profession perfectly.

Tsunade rubbed her left temple, feeling the beginnings of a massive headache and hearing the whispers of resignation right next to her ear. This was pointless and in no way, shape or form was it going to bring Sakura back. She told Neji and Naruto to get out.

"Kakashi, _stay._"

He obliged of course, not really feeling like dodging a flying stapler any time soon.

As soon as the door shut, she leveled a serious look on him as she crossed her arms. "I know she was the one who saved your asses, regardless if you tell me otherwise. And I'm not nearly stupid enough to accept any time soon your lame excuse that you just happened to find her, shot and bleeding, on a random sidewalk."

Kakashi didn't flinch when she sent him a death glare. He was far too used to her intimidation tactics by now to be affected.

"But I understand." It was almost painful for her to admit. "But it doesn't mean I like it. You do realize that Sound will be on the outlook for her now and if Akatsuki gets wind of this, they'll be curious and you know how curious they can get. Just tell me she'll be all right Kakashi. "

"I'm sure she'll be fine."

Tsunade would take his word for it then. It was better than nothing.

* * *

Sakura took a long drag from her cigarette as she walked down Cloud Boulevard. Crowded with prostitutes, drug dealers and the homeless she deftly weaved a path among them, long pink hair pinned up and hidden beneath a wool mod cap and green eyes covered by large sunglasses.

She turned a sharp corner and walked into a back alley, ignoring the smell of decay and week old garbage before tossing the butt of her cancer stick among the trash. Another turn and she ended up on Plum Avenue, its current state much better than Cloud and definitely cleaner. It was another fifteen minutes before she finally arrived at her destination. But being the cautious and slightly paranoid woman she was, Sakura walked past, crossed the street and blended into the shadows of the neighboring buildings. It seemed eternity dragged by before she deemed everything safe and in order. One could never be too cautious when in her profession.

She walked up to the newly renovated penthouses in the Mizu district of Tokyo, about two hours away from her now completely destroyed apartment, and placed her hand on the scanner. Leaning forward, she looked into the optic camera, heard the electronic hiss and the click afterward.

The hologram of a woman appeared in front of her, a smile on her face. "Welcome back Chiasa-san."

Sakura nodded and pushed open the thick glass door. She took the steel elevator up to the twenty second floor, stepped out and slowly opened the door to her second home, closing it gently behind her. Turning on the lights, she finally let herself relax a little and breathe in the familiarity of her surroundings.

**…**

A week later and feeling a little less stiff and a lot more like her usual self, Sakura sat on her pulse caviar sectional, cleaning her silver 1911 handguns and black sniper rifle. Her phone rang and she sent the call to the fiber optic screen in front of her.

"I see you're doing well, Yukiko-san."

She placed the scope of her rifle on the coffee table and leaned forward, elbows resting on her thighs. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Ebizo-sama?"

He smiled, dark shadowy eyes wrinkling at the corners. "I am in need of an assassin Yukiko-san and I find that I do not quite trust anyone other than you to carry out the contract. Name your price."

"Name your target."

"Akasuna Sasori."

"No." Sakura said decisively. She made it a point to deviate from all things syndicate related. Last week had been an exception only because she owed Kakashi. A life for a life.

He raised a gray brow. "He has defected from the Akatsuki Syndicate. My sources tell me he's currently in Cairo, Egypt."

She hid her surprise. "Defected? When?"

"Two weeks ago." He replied. "You know that money is no concern of mine. Reconsider Yukiko-san."

Sakura glanced down at her sniper rifle, running all the possible scenarios, all the pros and cons of taking this contract. It was risky. _Insanely_ risky and probably quite hazardous to her life. The chances of running into other Akatsuki Syndicate members were highly probable and she'd be stupid to assume Akasuna Sasori would be an easy target to take out.

_But…_

"Fifty million yen."

"Done. I'll have the contract drawn up and all travel arrangements completed by the end of today. I expect you will departing as soon as you are able?"

Sakura nodded. "You know how I operate, old man Ebizo. Is that all?"

He smiled though she could hardly tell if it was real or not. "Yes, Yukiko-san. My agent will be in contact."

Their call ended and in the silence of her living room, Sakura was left questioning if she made the right decision. Sitting back, her hand absently trailed her lightly bandaged gun wound. It was almost fully healed so it wouldn't pose a problem.

But…damn, she still had her doubts about this. Combing fingers through her long pink hair, she sighed and pulled out a cigarette, lit it and inhaled. She wasn't a heavy smoker, but it was nice to have one every now and then. She watched the white smoke lazily bend and curl and disappear, all the while pondering the most effective and quickest ways to eliminate Akasuna Sasori.

She picked up one of her 1911s and stared at the leaf engravings, distantly considered all her aliases and the countless lives she took under the name 'Yukiko'.

"_Killing people all by yourself now huh?" _ Kakashi's voice echoed in her mind.

Sakura smiled, sad and wistful and just a little bittersweet. "You should know Kakashi…it's the only thing I know how to do…"

* * *

…_to be continued…_

* * *

**Updated A/N**: I think this is one of my favorites. There really isn't a set pairing as I plan to more or less focus on Sakura and her relationships with the other characters. I guess you can say she's paired with everyone in some way, shape, or form. Thanks for reading!

**It's now a series!**

_-hasu_


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **_Canta Per Me _

**Author: **hasu86

**Character(s):** Sakura Haruno

**Genre:** Action/Drama

**Rating:** M

**Disclaimer:** Naruto does not belong to me.

**50_shinobi Theme:** Theme #6 – Bandage

**Summary: **AU. In a crumbling Japan ruled by Syndicates and paid for in blood, Haruno Sakura lives behind flying silver bullets and lazy white smoke.

* * *

"_Kakashi-sensei?" _

"_Yes, Sakura-chan?" _

"_Do you know when chichi-ue and haha-ue are coming back?" _

"_They're scheduled to return early tomorrow morning." _

"_So I'll get to see them?" _

"_Of course." He noticed her frowning lips however as she continued to stretch in preparation for their daily kata routine. _

"_You're lying." She whispered before bending over and touching her toes. "They'll be too busy like always. I'll be lucky to even get a phone call but that won't matter because then it'll just be empty promises." _

_He stared at her, all the while pondering the best route to take when dealing with growing nine year old girls but it was quite clear that he had absolutely no idea how to proceed with this rather tender situation. _

_Sakura glanced up and gave him a small knowing smile, hiding the painful strum in her heart. "You can say no the next time I ask Kakashi-sensei."_

**…**

When she turned seventeen her parents died in a car explosion meant for the new leader of the Konoha Syndicate, Tsunade-sama. There was hardly anything to bury of course, just some charred remains that served as scarce reminders of two people who had put the Syndicate above all else, even their own daughter.

Sakura didn't shed a tear for them. The heavens did so instead and for her that was plenty because growing up around guns and bloodshed and having Hatake Kakashi for a sensei hardened a girl to the depths of her soul where crying was proved pointless and wishing was the useless stuff of fairy tales that never came true.

There hadn't been very many people at the funeral. Just her, Kakashi and a few others she barely recognized but greeted politely nonetheless when they offered their sincere condolences. There never were many who attended funerals anyway. Families were difficult to come by, were difficult to keep _alive _when an elite operative in a powerful syndicate.

However, the nature of her precarious position had dawned on her through the years on those rainy, gray days that left her a little melancholy and empty inside.

Her parents had loved her. They had loved her so much in fact that in order to keep her safe from harm they had distanced themselves to the point where they virtually became strangers. Association, default or otherwise, was a risk too big for them to take. Enemies were everywhere nowadays and they wouldn't hesitate to kill a precious someone if it meant money or glory.

She had considered it all a load of bullshit in her younger days. If they had loved her so much why hadn't her parents taken her and left the syndicate? Why hadn't they left it all behind in order to create a new life? A loving life that included their little girl?

_Her parents had loved her_.

What was a new life, knowing they'd always be on the run, eventually hunted down like prey and then slaughtered—their pink haired, green eyed daughter included? One never ran from the syndicate because they always had a way of catching up.

Kakashi of course had always tried to tell her this in his own special way. Once he had tossed her an old book about a parentless waif who had actually been a princess from some faraway kingdom and through her epic journey had discovered she'd been sent away in order to protect her. Predictably, the waif turned princess had had her happy ending.

And other times Kakashi would simply tell her they loved her. It was an unconditional sort of love not easily extinguished.

She often wondered if it had pained them just as much as it had her. All those times when they had walked past one another in the constricting halls of the Konoha Syndicate without even so much as a glance in her direction…she wondered if it tore them up inside to see their little girl slowly become like them.

At nineteen, unable to handle the relentless haunting pressure, she left the Syndicate and never looked back. She didn't want to end up like her parents. She didn't want to end up like all the other nameless others buried six feet under before their time.

So, she became a contract killer. It was neither here nor there and she lived by her own terms, her own means in this messed up, decaying world around her. She built a name for herself and made a dangerous living using the skills she'd learned while under the tutelage of one Hatake Kakashi.

Sakura couldn't have had a better mentor during all those years of hard training. She wouldn't have seen nor experienced all that she had without him and knew in her heart—because a piece belonged to him and only him—that she owed him more than her life.

On days when the sun was bright and the sky was blue and the world seemed a little more hopeful, Sakura sometimes wondered about her own happy ending.

But then she'd pull the smooth black trigger and hear the soft whistle of flying hot silver, reminding herself that she wasn't a waif and definitely not a princess from a faraway kingdom.

* * *

_Present Day :: Cairo, Egypt _

Cairo was one of the many cities that had been unable to sustain itself throughout the years in which the world's populace and infrastructure slowly deteriorated. It's historic allure of pyramids and sphinxes and hanging churches were very much non-existent now, crumbling rubble and debris all that remained of these once iconic structures. It was sad really, Sakura thought wistfully, to see such a great city fall to ruin, even more so to watch the world fray and slowly die before her eyes.

She tiredly ran her fingers through her black, jaw length bob before adjusting her sunglasses to stare at the desert before her. The Nile was drying up, the land around in desperate need of quenching as it sat parched and desolate. Water was scarce in these parts and pumped through long pipes from underground sources. The poor and wretched were allowed only a few hours a day of this precious commodity while the wealthy got as much as they desired. Money made the world go around after all. It was true in the past and it certainly held up now.

Oddly enough however, Cairo was still a bustling metro teeming with all kinds of individuals. But as a black market hub, it was to be expected. When nightfall came, the lights came on and the streets _really_ came to life. This was where humans were often sold as objects for money and where objects garnered more money than human lives. Everything was sold here in Egypt's Black Minarets, kept under control by powerful, ruthless individuals and its own trigger happy, killing contingent.

Sakura turned from the desert wasteland and made her way back towards the inner city. Her flight had arrived a few hours ago and after checking in at the hotel, she'd decided to wander around and refresh her mental layout of the area. Strolling past a few bazaars, hearing the electronic voices sputter from old flickering plasmas, she continued walking at a leisurely pace, her brown leather boots sometimes scuffing the worn and weary street she walked on.

Just as she turned a corner, her hand shot out and grabbed the small arm about to reach into the pocket of her thin indigo fitted jacket.

The little boy looked absolutely petrified and immediately began to struggle but her grip was unrelenting.

"Hey, calm down."

He immediately stilled, turning frightened brown eyes on her and practically on the verge of tears.

_The diversion. _

So where was—ah, here he was.

Sakura couldn't help the small smirk as her other hand whipped out and grabbed the other boy behind her by the scruff of his neck. He yelped and started to fight her but one, strong swing around to her front and a hard look, the two twin boys immediately froze and shrunk further against the stone wall. They couldn't be any older than nine or ten with small skinny frames, dirty cheeks, and rags for clothes.

Looking around and above, she decided it was relatively safe here from prying eyes and ears. Removing her sunglasses and propping them on top of her head, she regarded the two black haired boys with critical green eyes for several long minutes.

"I've got a job for you two if you want it."

They blinked owlishly at her. Both had been expecting to be beaten, maybe a few fingers cut off and then spit at, declared dirty little vermin. The brothers looked at each other and then back at Sakura uncertainly.

"Well?" She prompted, an eyebrow raised. "Will you both do it?"

They gave her another hesitant look before finally nodding their heads. After all, this couldn't be worse than starving and getting beaten every other day.

Sakura gave them a smile and patted them on the head. "Good. Now here's what I want you to do…"

**…**

Two days had passed by when she heard a timid knock on the door of her hotel room. Night had fallen and without a doubt, Black Minarets would be in full swing. She opened the door and quickly, her two little helpers slipped in and scanned their surroundings.

A cart of food sat beside the bed and she saw them eye it hungrily.

"Go ahead. It's for you two." She said before walking over and reclining on the comfortable mattress in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, her short black wig still in place.

"The man you're looking for is here." One of the twins, Akil if she wasn't mistaken, piped up in a squeaky voice.

Ashai nodded, confirming his brother's words. "He visits this small art gallery every day and then eats at a corner café on Bomani Street. After dark he walks around Black Minarets."

"He never talks to anyone and always wears a black cloak." Akil added. "He's kind of scary looking in person."

Sakura silently filed away the information. She felt the bed dip and then heard the clink of silverware as they got over their initial nervousness and began to eat.

"Was he ever with anyone?" She asked.

Ashai shook his head, eagerly chewing a mouthful of kushari and eish masri.

Reaching over to her nightstand, she grabbed the picture of Akasuna Sasori and stared at it.

"Is he your lover?"

Sakura threw Akil an incredulous look. "Aren't you a little young to know that?"

He shrugged. "Mama always has men over and she calls them her lovers."

She regarded them quietly as they continued to eat like ravenous little animals. At least they had each other which was more than she ever had. They would go far, see brighter days if they stayed together.

"No, he isn't my lover. He's just someone…I came to meet."

After they finished, Akil and Ashai quietly waited by the window while Sakura sat on her bed, rummaging around in one of her bags. Retrieving a heavy pouch, she beckoned them over and they obediently complied.

"Here." She handed them a black velvet pouch, their brown eyes widening in disbelief. "A token of my appreciation."

Akil grasped the offering and hugged it protectively to his chest. She'd probably just given them a serious case of hero worship but some things just couldn't be avoided. Granted, she could've done the recon on her own and easily enough, but more often than not, locals proved more useful and attracted less attention.

"You're good kids so take care of yourselves." And as an afterthought, she added, "And stay together. You only have each other after all. Promise me you'll do that?"

They both nodded emphatically at the beautiful woman with the deep green eyes, thinking she must've been some angel sent down from heaven to help them because no one was this nice and generous. No one gave them this much for so little.

"You're an angel." Ashai whispered, his young heart still awestruck and taken in by this mysterious stranger.

A soft laugh escaped her lips as she leaned into the palm of her hand. She'd never been called an _angel _before.

"You'd think differently if you really knew me."

* * *

The next evening, she walked into the dim corner café on Bomani Street and took a seat in one of the remaining corner booths. A male waiter sauntered over, openly looked her up and down and apparently decided he liked very much what he saw. He boldly reached over, his long black braid swaying over his shoulder, and attempted to touch her but Sakura, more annoyed than anything, deftly caught his wrist, slammed his hand down and _thwack._

He stared with wide, stunned hazel eyes at the small, perfectly honed silver blade sitting neatly between two of his fingers. Visibly trembling, he pulled his shaking hand from the table and stumbled away, not even daring a glance in Sakura's direction.

Pulling out her small dagger from the wooden table, she sighed and stared out the large window to her left. She could make out a few of the brighter stars in the dark velvet sky and at the same time she watched the slow enigmatic draw of Black Minarets. As expected, even more shadowed figures stalked the streets, all gravitating towards the large strip in the very center of this struggling city.

There had been no sign of Akasuna Sasori when she stepped into the small eatery. Her sweeping gaze had told her as much but the sharp instinct in her gut that Sakura never doubted whispered for her to be patient and bide her time. Her target wasn't some power hungry politician or some corporate exec. He was a former Akatsuki Syndicate member. A trained killer just like her. There wasn't room for mistakes in this contract. No breathing space because the slightest hesitation, the tiniest miscalculation could very well get her killed.

In all likelihood, he'd probably be the one to find her.

Dark red hair entered her line of vision then and she resisted the urge to smile at the irony.

_Well, speak of the devil. _

He took the empty booth situated a few down from hers, facing her direction with his back to the entrance of the café. His features mirrored exactly the photo Ebizo had sent her. The detached interest, the seemingly empty look in his dark sienna eyes and the lack of any facial expression. Sakura had to admit that he cut an intriguing, albeit indifferent, character.

His fingers idly tapped the wooden tabletop as he gazed out the window.

Sakura took a sip of her hot, slightly spiced tea the traumatized waiter had all but tossed at her and nonchalantly threaded her plum painted fingers through her short midnight hair. She easily feigned interest in the book resting before her, but small covert glances had her wondering if he was waiting for someone. He seemed slightly impatient. A little on edge. Perhaps he was a man who didn't like waiting.

But just _who_ was he waiting for? If anyone at all?

Maybe—

She had her answer the moment the door swung open, the little metal chime tinkling from the frigid air sweeping into the dimly lit café.

Everyone else in this quaint little place visibly stiffened, their backs straightening as a collective hush fell over all those present and really, Sakura could understand why. Akatsuki Syndicate members were a bunch of intimidating bastards. Just their presence alone seemed to bring a bone deep coldness, incite a wariness that just couldn't be ignored.

Perhaps more curious and calm than she ought to be, Sakura leisurely sipped her cooling tea and settled more comfortably into the cushions of the booth seat, letting herself casually take in the sight of the two syndicate operatives who were making their way over.

One was blond, had blue eyes from what she could tell and the other—she furrowed her brows and turned the page of her book. He looked oddly familiar and yet, there was something different about him. It suddenly clicked in her head and she took another casual sip from the porcelain cup cradled in her hand.

He bore an uncanny resemblance to the dark haired man who had pointed a gun to the back of her head. While she hadn't gotten a detailed look at the bastard that night the Sound Syndicate decided to raid her apartment, she had gotten a decent glimpse and stored it in memory so that if she ever saw him again, she'd shoot him for ruining her beloved apartment and her dear dear plants.

Except this man's hair was longer and he looked older, taller too. A cousin perhaps? Or maybe even a brother? Well damn, this just got a little more interesting. Brothers, or kin at least, in rival syndicates?

But Sakura promptly berated herself for getting off track. She was here for a contract. Nothing more. Nothing less. It wouldn't do to ponder and speculate over anything else, especially unknown syndicate matters she had no desire to be involved in, but realized was slowly getting sucked into. Black holes like these were dangerous and if she wasn't careful, she'd find herself in way too deep.

A harsh mental slap later and she was able to refocus her wandering mind.

"What the hell are you doing here, yeah? Madara's demanding your head on a platter."

A long suffering sigh left Sasori's lips. "It was time to leave. I thought I made my decision clear."

Deidara shot the approaching waiter a nasty glare, which prompted the poor man to beat a hasty retreat, before leveling a hard look on his former partner.

"You know that no one leaves the syndicate."

"No one _brave enough_ leaves the syndicate. Madara can demand all he wants but I will not change my mind."

"But—"

"You came with your orders correct?"

Sakura turned a page, took a longer sip of the spiced tea she was growing quite fond of.

"We are to retrieve you, Sasori." Itachi said quietly, his voice deep and velvety and hardly betraying any emotion. "If you resist, then our only option is elimination."

"And yet already knowing the outcome, you both linger and I am still alive."

"Damn it! Just come back with us and he'll forget this ever happened, yeah!"

"I rather like it here Deidara. There's a sense of artistic, old world wonder about Cairo, no?"

Itachi calmly stood up then and reached inside his black cloak.

Deidara began his countdown with an irritated scowl.

And Sakura immediately knew something wasn't right, that something else was happening as the air stirred with an electrifying hum.

"_Zero…" _

A series of small explosions tore the night apart, lit up the dark sky with flashes of orange and red and heavy gray smoke. Sakura immediately stood up as shouts and surprised gasps filled the shrinking space around them. The bombs had been close and left her with little doubt that they'd been attached to cars.

She took a quick, assessing look around, her twin 1911s still hidden in their holsters underneath her fitted leather jacket. She wondered if she could make an exit through the back door, wondered if anyone would notice or really care because honestly, they seemed so caught up in whatever shit was happening and hell, she had no desire to be shot again. She rather liked _not_ bleeding to death.

"Sound?"

"Fucking bastards are persistent, yeah."

"They followed you here."

"The same hit. Apparently their pretty little feelings are hurt since we got to the target first."

She heard safeties unlock and glanced to her right where Akasuna Sasori and his former Akatsuki partners stood, calmly waiting as if they hadn't a care in the world.

'_Just what the hell was—' _But Sakura didn't get to finish her thought because just then, she could tell the café was being surrounded and that at any moment, the windows would shatter and hot lead would come flying in like it was going out of style.

She saw realization finally dawn on these poor unfortunate souls who were about to be caught in a deadly bullet parade. Saw the panic swell and suddenly, they were scrambling for a way out, tripping over chairs and tables, pushing and shoving towards the nearest exit.

The shadows outside moved, seemed to slither across the cold, hard pavement.

Sakura sharply inhaled and made a run for the thick wooden counter just as dozens of triggers were pulled and the glass windows erupted, sending shards of glass through the air. Sakura smoothly slid across the counter and ducked on the other side, knocking over the cash register and barely dodging bullets.

And still the automatic guns went off, ceaseless and pounding, ruthlessly tearing through flesh and glass, chipping wood and destroying the variety of coffee and tea sitting on the shelves above her.

Sakura noticed the trembling waiter who had tried to touch her earlier, huddled in the small corner with two bottles of fine brandy clutched to his chest. His eyes were squeezed shut. Sweat poured down his face as he drank messily from the glass bottle, his lips moving in what seemed like a silent prayer.

_Silly boy, even God won't help you now. _

But those two bottles of brandy would help her more than enough. At least she hoped so anyway.

Three cloaked bodies flew over the counter just then, followed by a rain of hot lead as she narrowly avoided being flattened to death by them. Hoping they were preoccupied by injuries and the general chaos around them, she rapidly shuffled over to the scared as shit waiter and smacked him the across the cheek.

"Hey!"

He snapped his hazel eyes open and shrunk even further into the corner upon seeing her.

"Please don't kill me! Oh god, please don't kill me!"

Sakura rolled her eyes and snatched the two brandy bottles from his hands. "I need these." And then for the sake of her torn, tattered and dwindling good conscience added, "On my count of three, you should get your ass out of here. Oh and use that secret door in the back if you don't want to get shot."

He nodded vigorously as Sakura took a quick swig of the alcohol and felt it burn down her throat. She needed to get out of here and fast. Not bothering to spare the three syndicate members a glance, she dug in her jacket pocket for her lighter, but all she came up with were her pack of cigarettes. Where the hell did it go? _Shit, had she dropped it? _

And then she felt a gun to her temple.

"Who the hell are you?" It was the blonde one. Deidarai or something like that.

"The owner's daughter." She replied with a fake, shaky smile as her innocent sea greens collided with his baby blues. "Got a light?" Sakura held out her pack of cancer sticks.

He raised a brow, seemed to consider her a bit and then lowered his gun. Obviously he didn't think she was a threat nor did the other two as they continuously reloaded and unleashed hell on the enemies. He threw her a lighter before he turned away.

Counting seconds in her head and lighting a cigarette, she waited. Inhaled and relaxed. Exhaled. "One, two, _three_."

The waiter scrambled up and over the splintered counter and bolted through the swinging door that led to the kitchen just as Sound went to reload, their backup rushing in as she and the three Akatsuki members swept up.

And as they unknowingly gave her cover, Sakura swiftly whipped out one of her 1911s as she threw the bottles of brandy into the air. Two pulls of her silver trigger and they abruptly shattered, the flaming lighter making contact with the highly flammable liquid not a moment later. A hot rain of flames spiraled down on those unfortunate enough to be caught in her little meteor shower, igniting and burning.

"What the—" Deidara whipped around to stare at her, dumbfounded and completely taken off guard.

Sakura quickly jumped over the counter, flicking her half smoked cigarette over her shoulder. But just as she got halfway, just as she deftly pointed her gun to the left and took out a Sound operative, she was grabbed by the back of her short black wig and felt it flutter to the ground.

Soft pink locks fell like shimmering spider silk around her shoulders as she immediately leveled her gun on the dark haired Akatsuki member who had grabbed her, his own gun at point blank range and the only reason why she hadn't pulled the trigger yet.

The little metal chime shivered and a frigid breeze rushed in.

"What the hell was that?"

Oh, she knew _that_ voice, had heard it up close and personal just before her apartment exploded.

"_You!"_

Without replying to his rather accusing voice, Sakura whipped out her other 1911 and pointed it at the man who had just entered, just itching to shoot him good but knowing that if she did, she could kiss her ass goodbye.

A heavy, tense silence fell over them all as she found numerous weapons pointed in all directions. No one moved. No one made a sound.

Sakura inwardly cursed her luck tonight. She had been so close to escaping this madness with her cover still intact too. Well, so much for her brilliant, fiery diversion. That got her absolutely nowhere.

"First the Konoha Syndicate and now Akatsuki?" Sasuke finally inquired, his voice slightly incredulous if not a little interested as he stared intently at her.

She gauged Akatsuki's reaction and besides seeing the surprise that flickered across Deidara's blue eyes, she really couldn't get a read on them. "You must have me mistaken with someone else."

"You aren't exactly easy to forget."

Sakura wondered if she should take that as a compliment and almost smirked. He didn't seem like a compliment giving type of guy and she was almost positive he still didn't know a thing about her. Otherwise he would've coughed up her name by now.

"She isn't with us, _otouto._" Itachi clarified in a carefully neutral voice. Yet there was a razor sharp intensity to it, lurking underneath that seemingly calm exterior.

Deidara chuckled, highly amused. "If only I had rigged this place too, yeah."

And all the while, she could feel the weight of Akasuna Sasori's gaze on her. Penetrating. Intrigued. _Knowing._ She would hazard a guess and say he knew exactly why she was here.

_For him_.

"So whose side are you really on?" Sasuke asked her. But he wasn't really looking at her, that much she could tell. His eyes veered slightly to the left, just over her shoulder.

_Interesting, _she thought. She had always prided herself on being observant, of being able to pick up the little things no one really seemed to notice. And she could have sworn she saw _something_ flash in _otouto_'s eyes and it certainly wasn't directed at her.

Sakura glanced at the older brother, catching the narrowing of his near ebony eyes. Something deeper was going on here and hell, she wanted no damn part of it. All she wanted was to carry out her contract and be on her merry little way back home. For the millionth time, she swore all three Syndicates to the deepest layer of hell imaginable. And yet, that sadistically cynical voice in her head told her she'd probably be seeing them down there too.

"Look, you don't even know me and quite frankly, I'd like to keep it that way."

Apparently God, or maybe the devil himself, decided to take pity on her sinning soul because in the span of her next few heartbeats, she was skidding across the ground, shooting bloody holes into syndicate kneecaps. She felt a bullet graze her left shoulder, a shard of flying glass cut across her cheek as one moment blurred with the next.

Shrill screams and wild yells came from outside along with the rapid release of gunfire from several machine guns belonging to Black Minaret's very own killing contingent. Sakura guessed they were making too much of a racket over here, most likely rudely disturbing the black market's illegal activities. It was most like them to come and end the annoying trouble so business could resume. One of these days, she'd have to thank the trigger happy morons for their perfect intervention.

With feline grace, Sakura swept up and took cover behind an upturned table. A swift look around let her know both syndicates were soundly distracted and that now would be a great time to hightail it out of here while she still could. Shoving her twin silver guns into their holsters, she sprinted towards the kitchen door riddled with bullet holes and hanging precariously from its hinges, disappearing behind it before anyone had time to stop her.

* * *

It was in the early morning hours two days later—wounds tended to and already healing—when she came face to face with Akasuna Sasori in the shadows of her hotel room.

She'd heard the slight click of the door, the barely there whisper as it slowly opened and closed shut. She was out of bed and had her daggers sailing through the air before she could take a proper breath.

Silver gun cocked with a silencer in place, she stared warily at the ex-Akatsuki who stood by the closed door, his own gun aimed at her chest.

It was odd to be in this type of situation. Sakura had never had the displeasure of being found whenever she took contracts. She was usually in and out within two days. No confrontations. No interactions that could breed sympathy and a change of heart because those were dangerous things. There could be no distractions and even less hesitation.

Adorned in nothing but a large, off the shoulder t-shirt, she lamented her lack of appearance. She wasn't very intimidating in her sleepwear and even less so with sleep tousled hair. But really, she should've been expecting this inevitable confrontation after what happened at the café.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised." Sakura said, still not lowering her pretty silver gun nor pulling the trigger.

"You're a hard woman to find." Sasori commented before lowering his weapon and tossing her daggers on the bed.

Sakura eyed him, cautious but curious nonetheless. She wondered if she should drop her own gun, show him the same courtesy but then again now would be as good as a time as any to get her contract over and done with. _Decisions, decisions._

Her curiosity won out and ever so slowly, she lowered her 1911 and hoped this wasn't going to get her killed. Really now, she knew better than this. Trust no one. Don't ask questions. Don't get involved. She was breaking all her rules and for what?

Even she didn't know.

"So what do you want?" Sakura asked, coming around and leaning against the windowsill so she could get a better, more detailed look at the man she was hired to kill.

Dark red hair. Sienna eyes. Twenty eight years old with a lean, deceptively strong build. She wasn't going to lie and say he wasn't attractive in that dark, indifferent way with all his walls and guards erected and standing tall. She certainly wasn't going to deny that.

Running her fingers through her soft pink hair that looked a little silver in the moonlight spilling in, she waited for his response, silently wondering why, and perhaps a little amazed that one of them wasn't already dead.

Sasori regarded her for a few moments before walking over and settling himself on the edge of the bed. It had taken longer than he'd expected to track her down. But money could buy anything here. Brutal force and death threats even more so. After making sure his former Akatsuki partners were nowhere in sight and that he wouldn't be followed, Sasori had made his way here.

He hadn't paid much attention—a mistake on his part—to the lone beautiful woman in the corner booth when he'd entered the café. She had looked harmless enough, engrossed in her novel and drinking her spiced tea. Egypt drew all kinds of people and he wasn't nearly paranoid enough nor did he possess the patience to dwell on each and every one of them in order to determine if they were spies or killers or just plain civilians.

However, there she'd been. Raining fire and silver bullets and watching her cover crumble and fall apart before her very eyes. A Konoha elite? No. He would've recognized her as he often ran recon on Akatsuki's rival syndicate. Sound? Another no. Uchiha Sasuke had confirmed that much. And she certainly wasn't a part of Akatsuki.

But she was good. _Almost too good_.

So it had occurred to him that she was most likely a _contract killer_.

It was no easy task to locate one of the cryptic informants of the infinity network however. Finding one in Cairo had been half the battle; dragging out the wanted information the other. But he had pulled from the informant's lips what very little he could about a pink haired, green eyed contract killer who deftly handled twin 1911s.

"Ishihara, Yukiko." He was positive it wasn't even her real name, probably just one of many.

Sakura tilted her head a little, a ghost of a smile curving her lips at this pleasant surprise. "I'm impressed."

"Your name cost a lot of effort."

"Much more than my whereabouts, I'm sure."

Sasori had to give her credit. She was quite fearless. And beautiful, almost deadly so. He could see the calculation, the deep intelligence and sharp vigilance in her bright green eyes that spoke of experience. It was all in the way she carried herself. Her subtle confidence, her trust in the weapons she wielded and killed with. She was a natural. A work of art herself, shrouded in mystery and bathed in blood.

"How is old man Ebizo? I would've thought he'd be dead by now, seeing as that old hag died a year ago."

"I wouldn't know." Sakura never discussed her contractors. There was no point to it other than making everything a little too unprofessional and personal for her tastes. _'And standing here, talking with your target isn't?'_ She scoffed at herself. All this syndicate shit was really cramping her style.

Sasori cocked his head to the side, faintly amused by her. "Did you know the old bastard's my great uncle?"

It wasn't a revelation. It was more of a small shock to her, but then again Sakura didn't pride herself on being an expert on the nature of familial relationships. She also wasn't new to family members wanting to kill each other either. She had killed uncles and sons, fathers and daughters, illegitimate progeny. Any and all who were never meant nor supposed to be in the grander scheme of things.

"Would you like my sympathy?" Sakura asked before walking over to her leather jacket draped over the back of a chair.

"Would it be genuine?"

She smirked, seeing his knowing almost smile. "Probably not."

She then fished out her pack of cigarettes, grabbed the lighter on the small table and made her way back to the window. Sliding it open to let in some fresh air because the room had suddenly become a little stifling, she made herself comfortable on the broad windowsill and lit a cigarette.

She lazily inhaled, her 1911 resting a short reach away.

"You must be very good at what you do for him to draw a contract. But Ebizo is a deceptive man. Do not let his smiles fool you."

"They never quite reach his eyes." She whispered into the swirling smoke before looking at him. "Thanks, but I already know." And then added, "You're not what I expected."

"And what were you expecting?" Sasori prodded, curious to hear her preconceived notions about the man she was hired to kill.

She flicked her cigarette, watching the ash fall away and took another slow drag. "An offensive attack at least. Threats, maybe? You're awfully calm for someone who's talking with his grim reaper."

"Will you kill me?"

Sakura exhaled. "Yes." And for some strange reason, she felt a little heavier.

His sienna gaze drifted over her before his solemn voice resonated throughout the room. "Ebizo had his own nephew killed and wife brutally raped. She followed soon after her dead husband, her throat slit like a worthless animal. Their son, eight years old at the time was hiding in a secret space beneath the floorboards, watching the entire scene above through a small crack. Do you know what the little boy was thinking as their blood dripped down in front of him?"

More ashes fluttered out the window and Sakura once again slowly inhaled, closed her deep, sea green eyes.

"I don't think he would've been _thinking._ It would've been too painful so all he would've been able to do was helplessly _feel_. The tight agonizing clench in his chest, the way his heart was twisting and screaming while slowly being rendered apart until an almost relieving flood of numbness washed over him." Sakura felt her breath hitch a little as an imperceptible tremble echoed through her.

She inhaled and continued her little monologue, regardless if he wanted to hear it or not because she really couldn't stop. It hit too close, struck too deep. "He would have forgotten to breathe as the sharp edge of pain permanently carved scars deep inside of him. And then he would've remembered that he _wasn't _dead, even though it felt like it. Later he would think and then wonder why they didn't kill him too because now…now he was all alone and sometimes that's even worse than death."

Sasori gazed at her, captivated and taken in by her heartbreakingly artistic words. With penetrating eyes, he tried to peel away her layers and found it impossibly hard to do so.

"The little boy died a long time ago."

"And in his place?"

"A lonely sinner." He replied. "As our sands of time slowly vanish, we learn not to care for it only invites weakness and uncertainty."

Sakura smiled a little. "No…we just don't _want_ to care. It hurts too much to because in the end…"

"In the end, you are still left alone with blood on your hands that'll never wash off and with nothing to live for except for the promise of death." Sasori finished.

"Yeah, something like that." Sakura tossed her finished cigarette and turned her shimmering green eyes on the ex-Akatsuki. "Don't even tell me we just had a heart to heart." She mused aloud with a touch of incredulity in her voice.

Sasori let a rare smile curve his lips, watching her get up and then lean against the wall. "I have a request, Ishihara-san." Standing, he walked over to her with the intent to invade her personal space. He didn't miss the way her fingers tightened around the gun in her hand, but she didn't raise it at him either.

"I'll make it quick and painless."

"I'm sure you will."

Maybe his response wasn't what Sakura was expecting because before she could stop herself, she was already voicing her thoughts. "Aren't you going to tell me 'not if I kill you first' or try to attack me?"

He leaned towards her, a palm spread against the wall behind her as he took a few locks of her long pink hair into his free hand, testing its softness between his fingers. And for some unexplainable reason, Sakura couldn't quite find the desire to deck him for touching her, for daring to get this close to her.

_Good god, she was losing it. _

He smirked. "Killing me won't be that easy, Ishihara-san."

"I know." Sakura was most positive about that.

Sasori twisted a lock of rose around a finger, lightly tugging on the strands. "Kill the old man."

He met her eyes and for the briefest of moments, he bared his broken soul, the aching scars on his dying heart.

"After all he's done, how come you never killed him yourself?"

"For the same reason I couldn't kill that old hag. The same blood may run in our veins, _but that is all_." He replied. "I may be cruel and ruthless, Ishihara-san, but I am not heartless."

Sakura wondered why these syndicate men had to be intriguing enigmas with depth and complexity she understood all too well. She wondered why they couldn't just be mindless, macho killing machines who only thought about women, sex, and guns because killing them was always so much easier that way. But when she knew too much, when things got a little too personal, the contract always got a little messier and that was when it was time to finish and leave it all behind.

Sakura regarded him closely, quietly tapped the shiny silver gun in thought as the seconds stumbled by.

"Okay."

Sasori nodded then, the motion small yet binding.

"Consider it my goodbye gift."

His mouth rounded into the faintest of smiles before he released her silky strands. "It's truly a shame we did not meet before now."

"I'm sure we would've made the best of friends." Sakura said with a touch of sarcasm.

"I assure you, we would've been _much more_." His sienna eyes were dark and intense and for a fleeting moment, she believed him.

But they soon settled back into their cool apathy as he stepped away. "Be ready tomorrow, Ishihara-san."

She didn't know what compelled her to tell him, but it was out before she could stop it from leaving her lips. She supposed there were always exceptions.

"Haruno, Sakura. If anything, you at least deserve to know the true name of your grim reaper, no?"

Sasori smirked, giving her a small nod before heading towards the door. Cherry blossom, indeed. "A fitting name." He said, looking over his shoulder.

And despite their situations and the roles they were forced to play, Sakura genuinely smiled at him. "So they tell me."

* * *

It was late afternoon on the following day when Sakura found herself on a rooftop.

It was going to be quick and clean.

At least that's what she was thinking before she saw two black SUVs screech to a halt in front of the gallery. Sound operatives swiftly jumped out and surrounded the building, their automatics cocked and waiting.

Christ, nothing was going her way on this contract. _What the hell! _

And then the gallery suddenly exploded, releasing a fiery heat wave that sent them flying back, scorched and shouting. But she quickly picked out shadowy movements as the smoke began to clear. Gunshots went off and not a moment later, her contract broke through the clearing gray—Akatsuki and Sound in hot pursuit.

"_The same hit. Apparently their pretty little feelings are hurt since we got to the target first." _

They were after _him_ and Sasori had known all along. She would've smiled had she not been busy packing her gear and slinging her black bag over her shoulders, sniper rifle in hand. Sakura quickly took off, scaling and jumping the close rooftops with her eyes darting back and forth.

Another car appeared and more Sound members piled out, shooting at the dark red head. He swerved and ducked behind a parked van, pulling out another semi-automatic and shooting as his ex-Akatsuki members handled the enemy from behind.

Sakura skidded to a stop at the edge of a nearby rooftop, propped her rifle against her shoulder and looked through the scope. Her finger pulled the trigger in consecutive strokes as she easily picked off the Sound Syndicate members. And just as a warning to steer clear of killing _her_ target, she purposely missed shooting the two Akatsuki members in the head, knowing by the way they abruptly scanned the roofs that they knew she was there.

Seeing Sasori flee down the street, she once again took off, jumping the narrow divide between this rooftop and the next. She saw him almost stumble and knew he'd been hit. Another car swerved around a corner, cutting him off as his two former partners rapidly came in from behind, guns raining lead in all directions.

And as Sakura came to an abrupt halt, rapidly brought her sniper rifle up and peered through the scope, she had the perfect shot, could practically taste his sweet death upon her tongue when he slowed, spun around, and looked directly up at her.

'_Will you kill me…?'_

'_Yes.' _

Sakura pulled the black trigger.

Once.

Twice.

She took a deep breath as Akasuna Sasori fell to the ground, two leaf engraved silver bullets through his bleeding heart.

**...  
**

"Target eliminated."

"Very well done, Yukiko-san and especially against all those odds. You never cease to amaze me."

"I trust the money has been transferred, Ebizo-san?"

"It has."

"Then I'm sure I'll be seeing you soon."

* * *

"Who is she?"

"I don't really know, aniki. She isn't linked to any syndicate so I'm thinking she's a freelancer, a contract killer and you know how difficult it is to find information on them. Sound's contact in the infinity network managed to get me a name, but even that was like pulling teeth."

"What is it?"

"Ishihara, Yukiko."

"Madara's curious."

"So is Orochimaru. I'll keep digging though and report to HQ."

"Remain subtle, otouto. She isn't to be underestimated."

"I know."

* * *

_One week later :: Berlin, Germany _

"This way Ebizo-sa—Ebizo-sama! Good God, someone get me an ambulance! Ebizo-sama!"

It was pointless however. The old man was already gone. A bullet buried deep in his head. An almost smile on his cold thin lips.

Sakura disassembled her sniper rifle just as the sun was beginning to set, its red orange rays casting long bloody shadows on a sadly neglected and worn down Brandenburg Gate.

**...**

There were somber gray clouds today, accompanied by a lazy drizzle. Sakura wondered why on days when she visited graves the weather always sucked. It made the whole affair seem bleaker and much more melancholy than it ought to be.

Pink hair hidden beneath a black cable stitch beret, she bent down and placed a long stem pink rose on top of his unmarked grave.

"The target's been eliminated." She whispered, welcoming that fleeting taste of finality, that lingering resonance of a bittersweet symphony.

"Maybe one of these days, we can dine in hell together…become something _more_..." Sakura smiled wryly. "But until then, sweet dreams Akasuna Sasori."

* * *

…_to be continued…_

* * *

**A/N:** After much thought and consideration, I've decided to make this a series. I figured posting connecting one shots might be a little confusing as there is somewhat of an order to them. It kind of messes up my whole 50_shinobi theme challenge scheme, but I'll deal. This should be interesting though since I find myself completely in love with this universe.

And yes, the 'dine in hell' line was inspired by the movie _300_, modified in context and not spoken as dramatically of course.

Hope you all enjoyed it.

_-hasu_


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **_Canta Per Me_

**Author: **hasu86

**Character(s):** Sakura Haruno

**Genre:** Action/Drama

**Rating:** M

**Disclaimer:** Naruto does not belong to me.

**50_shinobi Theme:** Theme #6 – Bandage

**Summary: **AU. In a crumbling Japan ruled by Syndicates and paid for in blood, Haruno Sakura lives behind flying silver bullets and lazy white smoke.

* * *

The lights flooded her penthouse in a bright, warm glow as Chopin's Raindrop Prelude floated through the black speakers in her living room. A canvas stood in front of her, the beginnings of an Egyptian landscape painted on its smooth surface.

Her phone rang and wiping her hands on her paint strewn jeans, Sakura made her way over to the fiber optic screen.

"Hey, sweetheart."

Soft pink tendrils escaped her messy bun as a smile curved her lips. "Hey yourself, stranger."

Genma shot her a smile, a little sheepish but more roguish than anything. "I've been swamped with orders lately. Everyone wants customization nowadays."

"Leaving your signature is catching up with the masses I see."

He nodded and held up a couple packages. "They're finally ready. Sorry about the delay."

"Don't worry about it. I've been out anyway."

Her weapons customizer suddenly got serious though and he leaned forward, his image becoming larger on the screen.

"While I'd like to hope you were off somewhere beautiful and serene practicing that painting hobby of yours, it wouldn't have anything to do with the syndicates now would it?"

Sakura raised a brow. "Why?"

"A couple of guys have been asking around for info about a pink haired, green eyed freelancer. I only know one woman who fits that description and I'm looking at her."

"You've got details for me?" She asked.

Genma threw two images on the screen. "Sound and Akatsuki. Wanna tell me what the hell you got yourself into, sweetheart?"

"This is what I get when I try to pay back a lifelong debt." She answered, already feeling the uncontrollable swell of irritation in her chest.

"You were the one who took out Akasuna Sasori and old man Ebizo weren't you?"

"And if I was?"

"Then you've just caught the worst possible attention ever. That—" He pointed to the top picture. "Is Uchiha Sasuke from Sound. And this—" He proceeded to the one below it, "Is his older brother, Uchiha Itachi with one Iwa Deidara, both members of the Akatsuki Syndicate."

"They were in Cairo."

"And?"

"And I might've pointed my gun at them…and shot at them." She elaborated offhandedly.

Genma released an almost painful sigh. "No wonder they're looking for you."

"Uchiha Sasuke was after Kakashi and his team the night my apartment blew up. He recognized me in Cairo during a gun fight with the Akatsuki, which drew their interest."

"You're not exactly hard to remember, Sakura. Try and lay low for a while. Wait until everything blows over."

She was doing just that. It'd been almost a week since Ebizo's death by her hands. "You know I don't like being hunted Genma."

His eyes narrowed and Sakura was pretty sure had he been here he would've attempted to throttle her.

"And you're not getting involved."

"Sakura—"

"No." But her hard look soon softened and she offered him whatever reassurance she could. "I'll be fine. I always am. Can you have Kotetsu drop those off?"

Sighing in resignation and knowing no matter what he said wouldn't change a damn thing, he nodded. "I'll see you then." _Be safe_ were the other words he didn't bother to say, useless as they were when spoken to a woman like her.

The call ended and the screen went blank.

She was left to ruminate over this annoying development for all of thirty seconds before her phone once again began to shrill. The name of her caller flashed across the fiber optic, prompting a slightly surprised reaction as she hit the receive button on the small touch screen embedded in her wall.

"Sakura-chan!"

"It's been a while, Anko."

The dark haired older woman grinned in what could almost pass as sweet if Sakura didn't already know how ruthless and cunning she could be.

"So what exactly has the infinity network knocking on my door?"

"Can't an old friend call up another old friend just to say hello?"

Sakura raised an incredulous brow. "Not you, Anko. What has Jiraiya gotten himself into now?"

"The old perv has been pretty sedate lately, believe it or not."

Sedate as in just visiting the red light district every couple of days, no doubt. His little 'information gathering' excursions however, always did yield bountiful amounts of intel, even if half of it was useless.

"Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, it's not about him this time. It's something much more damaging." Anko said before throwing up three images of a red haired woman, all from different angles.

"She's got intel she isn't suppose to have."

"Name?"

"Asaka, Karin. She's been with us for about a month."

"Not very smart." Sakura commented, coming around the pulse caviar sectional to get a better look at the red head.

Anko snorted. "The bitch is sneaky though. We had some guys tail her. They ended up never coming back. Her movements have been more erratic so it's harder to track her now."

"I thought the network screened their agents pretty damn well?"

"She came out clean."

Sakura nodded. Nothing was foolproof, not even the highly regarded infinity network. "What kind of intel was stolen?"

"We're not sure. It could be anything from private client information down to our sources. This is fucking serious Sakura. If I could kill the bitch right now I would but the network's been swamped with assignments so I can't exactly take the time to hunt her down."

"Any idea as to who the other party is?"

"The Sound Syndicate."

"Fuck me."

"As tempting as that may sound—"

Sakura shot the laughing older woman a not so serious glare and took a moment to think things over.

"Before you even ask, the answer is yes. Sound and Akatsuki have both been asking around for info about a pink haired contract killer. What the hell did you do Sakura to garner that much unwanted attention?"

"Genma asked the same thing." She said humorlessly.

"Shit, don't even tell me you had something to do with that Konoha and Sound fireworks show? Where the apartment…it was your fucking apartment wasn't it?"

"Maybe." Sakura answered vaguely.

Anko quickly put everything together though, not liking it one bit. "Akasuna Sasori, the shootings. One of our informants was killed in Cairo before he could make it back for an intel sweep. Damn it girl, you're fucking lucky he didn't know shit about you except—"

"One of my aliases—Ishihara, Yukiko."

"And old man Ebizo?"

"A personal request."

"So how—"

"Akatsuki and Sound were after my target too. We all had a very nice, friendly little confrontation."

Anko rolled her eyes at the younger woman's sarcasm. "Yeah, my left ass cheek you did." Releasing a long suffering sigh, very much like Genma's in fact, she regarded the young freelancer with critical eyes.

"You already know what I'm going to ask Sakura. The infinity network cannot afford duplicity. I need Asaka Karin dead."

"What about the chip?"

"She found a way to remove it. Otherwise, we wouldn't be having this conversation and I'd be grilling you about all this syndicate shit you're ass deep in."

"Blame it on Kakashi." Sakura grumbled irritably.

"As much as I would like to, you're the one who opened the door for him."

She sighed, threading her fingers through her pink hair. "I'm beginning to think I shouldn't have."

"You would've and if you had to do it all over again, you wouldn't change a damn thing. It's over and done with Sakura. Stop fucking moping about the past and deal with it like the contract killer you are."

At times like this, Sakura appreciated Anko's sharp and edgy candor. "I hate you."

"Love you too." The older woman smirked before getting serious once more. "I need an answer. Yes or no?"

"You don't even have to ask. You know what I need."

Anko nodded. "I'll be in touch."

* * *

The infinity network, headed by Jiraiya, was the dying world's go-to organization for all that hard to get intel. They were the info gatherers. The ordinary faces no one would think twice to look at. Yet come tomorrow those same faces would be extraordinary, hauntingly seductive and compelling. They were experts in acquiring the near impossible, groomed to lurk with a trained ear and if it came down to it, forcefully extract the information itself from the targeted source.

Jiraiya made it an effort to recruit beautiful women, sometimes beautiful men. Mitarashi Anko made it her business to kick his ass into shape. She enforced the ways of the infinity network, personally oversaw and groomed all the new recruits the old man brought in.

For two years Sakura had been her protégé, learning the ins and outs of the network, how to track and how to listen. She'd learned that people loved to talk and given the right opportunity and feeling that sliver of trust, that stroke of their ego, they could go on for hours not even realizing what they were actually revealing.

But like everything, it came with a price.

The network's informants were all embedded with an intel sweeping chip. At the end of an assignment, the informant's mind was wiped clean of all crucial information, giving the network its safety cushion and confidentiality. If the worse happened, the chip would be activated and the informant killed before anything could be leaked.

Looking over the extensive dossier Anko had sent over, Sakura stored away important bits and pieces. It was no small feat that this Asaka Karin had managed to remove the chip placed just above the cervical spine. Whoever removed it had to have had some measure of very precise skill that was for sure. But this red head had moved too soon in her deception and apparently underestimated the vigilance of Anko and Jiraiya. A very foolish move.

No one betrayed the infinity network and lived to tell about it. Sakura was its personal executioner after all.

* * *

"Hair: Violet. Eyes: Gold."

"Please proceed into the chamber, Sakura-san."

The glass door slid open and Sakura stepped in. Within moments, she was being scanned and her hair and eye color changed. After her failed attempt at a disguise in Cairo, she wanted to make sure everything stayed as it should this time around and every other time after. And with the Syndicates playing nosy bastards, she needed to limit her chances of being recognized, thus the large investment in the newest transfiguration technology.

"Modification completed."

Sakura stepped out of the chamber and looked into the full length mirror. Cropped bangs and super straight violet hair. Amber gold eyes. Black leather cat suit. She would blend in perfectly at the newest high end techno club her target was frequenting. Compared to some other people she saw during her quick two day recon, this was actually quite subdued.

Satisfied with her appearance, Sakura headed over to the glass kitchen table and admiringly handled her two new silver daggers she had had commissioned. Two packs of customized bullet clips also rested on the clear glass, but for this contract she would be leaving her guns at home.

After tucking a dagger into each of her knee high boots, she pulled on a matching leather jacket, grabbed her motorcycle helmet, and walked out the door.

**…**

Ultra was already teeming with people by the time Sakura arrived and with gold eyes hidden behind a pair of dark shades she wasted no time in scoping out her surroundings and pinpointing the exact location of her target.

Black latex seemed like the clothing of choice tonight. From full body suits to barely there outfits, it seemed nearly everyone was donning the shiny material in some form or another. Women and men held whips, others leashes and chains as they gyrated on the dance floor, the sexually charged atmosphere almost tangible. It was an interesting place to say the least, an S&M heaven tucked away in the darker part of a starving Tokyo.

Asaka Karin's red hair wasn't exactly hard to miss. Headed towards the back, Sakura watched her make a beeline for the bathroom. She would wait a little longer though, test out the waters a bit to make sure this place wasn't crawling with Sound Syndicate members who would come running at the first sign of potential trouble.

So as the house music thumped from large speakers and the flashing lights made pretty patterns on the crowded dance floor, Sakura headed over to the circular bar.

**…**

An hour later she found herself in the company of two Akatsuki members and wondered if Fate truly did despise her. Granted, they weren't decked out in their colors of black and red and blended in quite well, but with her sharp eyes she was able to catch sight of the ring that hung around one of their necks before he had quickly tucked it away.

Were they spying? Recon maybe?

"Hey, what do you say we have a quick fuck in the bathroom? You're pretty damn hot so I'd let you have a go at Jashin's fucking gift to women."

Sakura stifled the urge to laugh. Was he serious? Him? A gift to women?

"Shut your trap, Hidan. I think you just made her throw up a little."

"Shut the fuck up, Kakuzu."

She caught a flash of red from the corner of her eye and downing the rest of her sake, Sakura swiftly stood up without so much as a word to her two unwanted companions.

"Hey! Oi, what the fuck?"

Sakura flipped him off and disappeared into the throng of dancers, bystanders, and drunks. His pissed off retort of 'fucking bitch, how dare she refuse Jashin's number one disciple' wasn't lost on her and if she wasn't already on a contract, she would've decked the silver haired bastard.

She entered the bathroom, but before she had time to turn around and block her attacker, Sakura was already falling to the ground, vision dimming into darkness.

Anko was right about one thing. Asaka Karin was one sneaky bitch.

* * *

"So this is real."

"Is yours?" Sakura smirked before her head was wrenched to the side, her violet locks scrutinized one last time before being roughly released. The back of her neck still ached something fierce, but pain and captivity were nothing new to her.

"Another one of the network's dogs I assume?" Karin spat with thinly veiled disgust.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Sakura said as she tested out the rope tied around her wrists. A quick look around told her they were in some sort of interrogation room. No windows, stone walls, two chairs, and a square wooden table. A bright light occasionally flickered overhead, but other than that, this place was pretty standard and a whole load of shitty.

With her hands tied behind her back, Sakura shifted in the rusty metal chair and silently thanked whoever was listening for the oversight of her captors. She wondered if all the previous trackers the infinity network had sent had all been amateurs and thus, Karin and her help saw no need to continually check her restraints. She was bound to the chair, but the knots were beginning to loosen and that would soon prove to be a grave mistake on their part. Underestimating an unknown captive was never a wise decision.

Karin leaned in and sneered. "Did I? You mean to tell me you don't work for the infinity network? That you weren't sent here to kill me?" She laughed, harsh and mocking. "And why should I believe you?"

Sakura shrugged. "You have no reason to."

The door opened then and her male accomplice entered the room.

"They'll be here in thirty."

Karin nodded as Sakura began her internal countdown. Thirty minutes wasn't much time, but it was enough to do what needed to be done and then get the hell out of here. She moved her legs to glean whether or not they'd found and confiscated her hidden daggers and when the tip of one of the blades glided against her ankle, Sakura quickly ran through her list of back up plans.

The red head turned towards her and leaned against the table, arms crossed and looking smug.

"I know Mitarashi wants me and it pisses her off that Kabuto got the chip out and I'm now running loose with all this precious information on the network."

Sakura didn't respond, merely looked at her target quietly and let her talk, making sure to store away every shred of information. Karin placed both palms on the table and sneered distastefully.

"Do you know how many of you I've killed?" She asked rhetorically. "Five and all of them begged for their lives before they died. The infinity network can send all the trackers they want, but at the end of the day, they'll all end up dead."

Karin pulled out two micros and smirked, her dark eyes glinting with victorious satisfaction. "Orochimaru and Sasuske-kun will be more than pleased with the info I have. Sources and agents, clients and contractors…" She ticked off all the confidential intel she had managed to obtain as a small flood of relief washed over Sakura.

So she hadn't been able to report it all to Sound yet, having been lying low these past few days to avoid the network's dogs as she had put it. Sakura watched her as she gingerly touched the left micro.

"Everything I have is in here." She whispered. "And pretty soon Sound will have the upper hand in this damn syndicate war." She swiped them up and deposited them back into her pocket.

Karin looked at her then, eyes narrowing. "I don't give a shit whether or not you're really a part of the network, but like they say, better safe than sorry right?"

She pulled out a black Glock 18 and just as she pointed the automatic pistol at her, ready to pull the trigger, Sakura wrenched her legs from the ties which bound her and quickly tipped the chair back. Her leg came up and she pulled out her dagger, rolling to the side when gunshots ricocheted off the stone walls. It was only a matter of moments before her hands were free and she was jumping up, throwing her blade at Karin's arm in order to disarm her.

The gun flew out of her hand and Karin shouted in pain as her male accomplice dove into action after recovering from his stupor. But Sakura was already swinging the rusty metal chair at him, the sickening crunch as it collided with his skull bringing him to the ground, a river of blood already flowing down his face. Sakura let her fist fly, breaking his nose and then followed through with a harsh kick to the face after. He grunted and promptly knocked out.

But before Sakura could counter Karin's oncoming blow, she was already hitting the stone wall, the breath knocked out of her.

"Stupid bitch!" Karin shrieked as she cradled her bloody hand, advancing on her opponent with a vengeance.

She grabbed her violet hair and pulled back, but Sakura twisted around and kicked her in the stomach. It sent her sailing and she crashed into the table, blood spilling from her mouth. With a scream of fury, Karin blindly charged forward and quickly pulled out her own knife, swinging it wildly in front of her. Sakura dodged and dropped low, her hand rapidly pulling out her other dagger and just in the nick of time, she blocked a downward strike from her red haired target.

Gripping the hilt, the violet haired assassin swung the shiny silver blade outward, narrowly missing her contract's throat. Karin came forward like lightening and managed a shallow cut across Sakura's left bicep. She smiled and lunged forward again, only to spring back when Sakura slashed her across the cheek. Blood slowly wept from the cut as her red eyes flared with anger.

"I'm going to kill you!" She hissed, lunging again.

Sakura deflected the attack and punched her in the face, sending her to the ground. Karin's knife flew out of her hand and clinked against the wall. Legs sweeping out, she knocked Sakura's legs out from under her and jumped on top of her former captive, hands immediately grasping her neck and squeezing.

White dots erupted in her vision as Sakura grabbed the other woman's wrists and sharply twisted them. Sick and tired of this insane woman and knowing that time wasn't on her side she clipped Karin under the chin and threw a right hook. Head snapping to the side, Karin tumbled off, cradling her bruising jaw and bleeding mouth with one hand as her other groped for her knife.

Scrambling to her feet, Sakura felt a sharp pain suddenly explode in her right side and when she glanced down, Karin's knife was buried in her flesh. Without another thought, Sakura ripped it out and sent it sailing across the room before delivering a harsh blow to Karin's middle. The red head stumbled against the table, her breathing harsh and blood dribbling down her chin. Grabbing onto the end, she attempted to swing it around and take her violet haired opponent down, but Sakura had already grabbed her daggers and was on her before she could attempt anything further.

Karin screamed when the small razor sharp blade pierced the center of her left palm, effectively pinning her on top of the wooden table.

Sakura grasped her red hair and yanked back, her other dagger pressed firmly against Karin's throat. She could hear the distant echo of footsteps and knew her thirty minutes were nearly gone.

Karin laughed, but it was tinged with pain and false bravado. "You'll never get out of here alive."

Sakura's golden eyes hardened before she ruthlessly tore out the blade buried in Karin's palm. "Watch me." And wrenching her head up by her red hair, Sakura whispered into her ear, the sharp edge of her dagger breaking skin. "The infinity network sends their regards."

Sakura snapped Karin's neck, the disturbing sound of her spinal cord breaking and a last, sharp inhale resonating throughout the room. Her dead body fell against the table and with no time to linger as the footsteps drew nearer, Sakura quickly reached into Karin's pocket and extracted the two micros, dropping them into her jacket's inner compartment. Climbing off the dead woman, she grabbed her daggers, placed them back into her boots, and just in case, picked up the Glock 18.

Without another moment's delay, Sakura opened the door and hurried down the opposite side of the hall. Just as she rounded the corner, she heard an angry yell and couldn't help the smirk which crossed her lips. _Surprise._

There was no doubt in her mind that she would soon have pursuers on her ass so even though her body hurt like all hell, she ignored the pain and swiftly searched for a way out.

**…**

Sasuke surveyed the scene with critical eyes. Karin was clearly dead and after a quick search of her body, no micros were found, which meant whoever they'd captured had to have been sent by the infinity network to retrieve the data. He walked over to the syndicate member who was slowly gaining consciousness.

Grasping his blonde locks, Sasuke pulled his head up. "Who did this?"

Eyes still bleary, he mumbled, "A woman. Violet hair…gold eyes."

Sasuke released him and stood, facing the leader of the Sound Syndicate.

Orochimaru sneered at the scene before turning around. "She couldn't have gotten far. Find her and bring her to me."

**…**

Sakura bolted down the stairs, her hand applying pressure to her side in order to stem the flow of blood. Kicking open a door, she ran through and was relieved to smell fresh air mixed with salt. So they were by the shoreline, which meant east of home.

Shouts and running footsteps told her she had precious little time. Gunshots suddenly split the air around her and ducking, she pressed against the wall of the warehouse and looked around. And then her gold eyes alighted on her saving grace.

Sakura booked it to the two motorcycles flanking a black sedan as bullets hit the ground around her feet. The driver she hadn't noticed earlier clambered out of the car, hand going for the gun at his side, but Sakura was too quick. She hit him hard across the face with the Glock 18 and as he fell from the blow, she kicked closed the open car door, crushing his body and the side of his face.

Sakura then slid across the hood of the black car and crouched on the other side, glad for some cover as she proceeded to hotwire the sleek ebony motorcycle. After a few tries, the engine purred to life and it wasn't long before she was swinging her leg over the seat and aiming the black automatic.

Sasuke burst through the door right as Sakura pulled the trigger. Lead bullets bit into the side of the car and the other motorcycle; punctured the rubber tires of both. She turned around, gold eyes falling on the familiar looking man by the warehouse.

"Uchiha, Sasuke." She murmured his name as she stared him straight in the eyes. From the looks of it, it seemed he'd also figured out who she was. Sakura wasn't very surprised though. They had seen each other often enough that disguises no longer worked. The movement of body, the handling of a gun could give one away just as much as physical appearance.

From the corner of her eye, she saw another man walk out and figured he had to be Orochimaru, the leader of the Sound Syndicate. He looked disturbingly scary enough with his almost serpentine features and flowing black hair.

However, more shots soon rang out and Sakura knew she had to get the hell out of here before she was digging bullets out of her body. Tossing the automatic over her shoulder, she revved the engine and took off under the rain of hot lead; Asaka Karin dead and the infinity network no longer compromised.

_Target eliminated. _

* * *

Sakura placed the micros on the messy desk before walking over to the old loveseat in the corner and sinking down. A grimace crossed her lips as she peeled away the black leather jacket, followed by the top of her matching cat suit. Reaching under the couch, she hauled out the first aid kit and checked out the knife wound.

The door swung open then, Anko storming in with a slightly worried expression on her face. She glanced around her office, eyes quickly falling on the still violet haired Sakura.

"What the hell?!" The door slammed shut before Anko stomped her way over.

Sakura raised her head to glance at the now fuming woman. "Yes?"

"Look at you!"

"I am. Now if you would quit hollering, I could clean up this mess." Sakura said stiffly before taking an alcohol wipe and swiping it across her injury multiple times. "All I need is a mending H bath and I'll be fine."

Anko took a deep breath, trying to calm her fraying nerves. "Is it deep?"

"Just a flesh wound."

She snorted and bending down, inspected the slowly bleeding injury. "Flesh wound? I don't think so."

"I've had worse." Taking the gauze, she wrapped it tightly around her middle and then cleaned the laceration on her bicep.

"I'll have the bath drawn up for you."

"Thanks." Sakura whispered.

She noticed the pack of cigarettes on the rectangular coffee table in front of her and helped herself. White smoke soon curled up and around as she let herself lean back and her strained muscles relax.

"Asaka Karin is dead and the micros are sitting on your desk. No intel was leaked. Curious as to how she got the chip out?"

"How?"

"Kabuto."

Anko didn't bother to hide the look of murder on her face. "Orochimaru's right hand man. So he's also a skilled doctor, I see." She grunted, mentally putting him on her list of people to kill. "From the looks of things, I'm guessing you ran into Sound?"

Sakura suppressed a growl of exasperation before taking a long drag. Just the thought of syndicates made her want to break something. "The crazy bitch had someone with her and he knocked me out. They took me to some warehouse by the shoreline, were about to kill me but I got loose, took her out, and shot up their transports. I saw them though, Orochimaru and Sasuke Uchiha. He knew it was me. I could see it in his eyes."

"And the motorcycle?"

"Trash it."

Anko nodded. "Jiraiya's currently out of the country, but he sends his love and thanks." Standing up, she turned on the fiber optic screen, dragged some windows up, and tapped a few buttons.

"Hey…I made it out didn't I?"

The older woman released a pent up sigh. "You know I never worry, Sakura. But when any of the syndicates are involved, it's a whole different game."

"I'm starting to see that. I've been shot at more times than I can count within the last month."

"And it'll only get worse if you continue to press your luck."

"It's a little late to be raising white flags. We're way beyond that now and I have no intention of backing down just so they can shoot me in the back, which might I add Sound's already done."

"And you're planning to take on all three syndicates?" Anko pressed further, her voice growing louder as she watched her former protégé battle with her pent up frustration. "Are you fucking insane? They're not your average kills Sakura. They're just as highly trained as you are, if not better."

"You don't think I realize this? I grew up in the Konoha Syndicate, Anko. I know how ruthless they can be. But if you think I'm just going to lie around and let them track me down, then you're sorely mistaken." Sakura retorted, her voice edged in steel as she repeatedly crushed her half smoked cigarette in the dirty ashtray.

"I didn't ask for this, Anko. All I did was help out Kakashi and look where it got me? Everywhere I go I run into them. They're all like fucking shadows I can't get rid of and it pisses the hell out of me because now I can't go back to how things used to be."

"You mean that lonely void you called a life?"

"It's a hell of a lot better than having my apartment blown up and being shot at by syndicate bastards!"

"Why not go back to Konoha, Sakura?"

She laughed, but it was bitter and humorless. "And end up like my parents? No, thank you. As much as I loved and hated them, I have no desire to walk their path."

"You seem awfully close to it."

Sakura furrowed her brows in irritation. "Who are you? My therapist?"

Anko smiled. "No. You just looked like you needed to get some shit off your chest. Feel better?"

"Much."

"Good."

Sakura couldn't help the reluctant smile and shaking her head, took a deep long breath and finally let herself relax. "So what do you have for me?"

"Leverage." Anko replied, satisfied that Sakura was no longer as tense and bothered. She threw two images of the Uchiha brothers onto the glass screen along with a brief profile on each.

"Itachi and Sasuke Uchiha. The former a part of Akatsuki and the latter, Sound." She grinned then, as if she had the answer to all of Sakura's problems. "And get this, both are _undercover_."

"Undercover? For who?"

"The Konoha Syndicate."

"Don't play with me, Anko."

"Does it look like I am?" She said, pointing to her most serious expression.

Sakura sat back and rubbed her temples, her mind on overdrive and steadily getting lost in her thoughts. "Damn Kakashi…I bet he knew all along and that whole fiasco at my apartment, the so called 'recon' on Sound… Sasuke was probably meeting them and then something went wrong so they had to cover it up somehow. What better way than a gunfight between rival syndicates? And what happened in Cairo…" She clenched her fists in annoyance as stray pieces clicked into place. "I knew something was off the moment I saw the brothers exchange looks at the café."

Anko confirmed her ramblings by opening another image on the fiber optic screen. Sasuke, Itachi, Kakashi, Naruto, and Neji all stood together in the shadows of a parking garage and Sakura instantly felt her blood boil. Granted, she couldn't really hold it against Kakashi for not telling her, but the fact that she got dragged into all of this because they weren't being discreet enough wasn't lost on her.

"Those fucking pricks."

Amusement flashed in Anko's eyes. "It wasn't easy getting this surveillance photo. We had to hack Konoha's security systems and you know what a bitch that is?"

"I can imagine."

"They've done a damn good job in covering themselves though. Sasuke's under the guise of wanting to kill his older brother for some family related reason, which is why he joined Sound. Itachi then perpetuates the situation, skillfully feeding the pretense they've created in order to keep their cover intact. The Uchiha name isn't taken lightly in syndicate circles though. You never heard of them while you were still a part of Konoha?"

Sakura shook her head. "Most of the time I was training with Kakashi. I never really made friends and couldn't have cared less about the people there. I left before I got in too deep."

"A damn good thing you did too. According to our inside agent only a select few know about this—those three in the photo and Tsunade."

"And now me."

"So what will you do?" Anko asked curiously.

Sakura looked at the ceiling, a contemplative expression on her features. "I'm not sure, but it's only a matter of time before they figure out who I am. The question now is how long until they're knocking down my door?"

Anko exhaled, knowing there was only so much she could do for the green eyed contract killer. "Seriously woman, why in the hell did you have to go and get mixed up with the syndicates?"

A wry smile touched Sakura's lips. "I was running…thinking I had finally lost them, but I was wrong. You never run from the syndicate Anko because they always have a way of catching up."

* * *

"Ishihara, Yukiko. Real name: Haruno, Sakura."

The dimly lit room went painfully silent as its five occupants felt the gravity of that one elusive name.

Naruto coughed; the silence much too heavy for him to stand. He began to pace, wanting to say something, but like the others here—with the exception of Kakashi—he didn't know shit about her. He glanced at Neji only to find the Hyuuga as expressionless as ever. The only sign that he wasn't a marble statue was the way his shoulders seemed more tense than usual. Hearing her name must've affected him also.

Itachi stepped forward, dark eyes trained on Kakashi, who at the moment stood against the wall of the rundown hotel room in Konoha territory as calm as ever.

"You know who she is."

"And?"

"It'd be convenient if you told us." Sasuke said. "I ran into her two nights ago as Orochimaru and I were about to retrieve micros from Sound's mole in the infinity network. We found Asaka Karin dead and the micros gone. She then shot up our transports and managed to escape."

Naruto whistled in admiration. "Wouldn't expect any less from her, especially after she rocked you and Sound at her apartment."

Sasuke threw the blonde a dirty look, which was reciprocated with a cheeky grin.

"She drew much attention in Cairo Kakashi and all I have is a name." Itachi said, exhibiting a similar calm and composed attitude as his fellow silver haired syndicate member.

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything."

Kakashi shook his head. "I can tell you that she was once a part of Konoha. That she grew up in the syndicate—"

"What!" Naruto spun around, mouth agape in surprise. "She was a part of us?"

"That's what he just said, teme." Sasuke growled, annoyed at his interruption.

"Shut it, dobe!"

As if he hadn't just been interrupted, Kakashi continued the very abridged version of Sakura's past. "She then decided to leave and as you all already know, became a contract killer."

"Tsunade is aware of all this?" Neji asked.

Kakashi nodded. "When Sakura left she took everything with her. It's why you've never heard of her in the syndicate. Her connection to us was completely erased."

"And that was why she was able to escape HQ so easily. She already knew her way around." Neji mused out loud as the pieces came together.

"So what now?" Naruto asked, both curious and anxious.

"Her whereabouts." Itachi stated.

That was one thing among many that even Kakashi didn't know. "Sorry to say, but I have absolutely no idea."

"Yeah, _someone_ just had to go and make her blow up her apartment." Naruto sent an accusing look at the younger Uchiha.

"My cover demanded that I pursue you. How was I to know you three were staying with a woman like her?"

A dreamy look suddenly crossed the blonde's face. "Sakura is something else though, isn't she?"

"Enough." Itachi cut in, voice razor sharp. "Is there a way to establish contact?"

He was met however with an almost knowing smile that didn't quite reach the older man's eyes. "She's a contract killer with ties to the infinity network. Knowing Sakura, she probably already knows about you and Sasuke and is at this very moment, plotting out ways to use this information to her advantage. Be careful where you all tread because Sakura doesn't like to be hunted."

"And you know this how?" Naruto queried.

"How do you think she learned how to handle all those guns?"

"She was your former student." It was more a statement than a question.

Kakashi glanced at the older Uchiha. "But I wasn't her only teacher."

Naruto's blue eyes were still clouded with incredulity. "I can't believe _you_ taught her…"

"Maybe a little _too _well." The silver haired man mumbled to himself.

"So how should we proceed?" Neji inquired.

They couldn't very well turn all of Tokyo upside down looking for her. All three syndicates were already at war over territory and power. And now, maybe even an elusive contract killer who was just too intriguing and damn dangerous to ignore.

Kakashi realized the gravity of the situation, and perhaps felt a little responsible for it also. He had after all made the call to Sakura, which, unexpectedly, had led to her getting involved. She was only supposed to have been a secret haven for a day or so, but rarely did things ever turn out as planned.

And now, Itachi and Sasuke's cover hung in the balance as did the Konoha Syndicate and all they had worked to obtain in the last few years. If Sound and Akatsuki discovered this duplicitous plot, all hell would break loose, resulting in a syndicate free for all and countless lives lost. All he really hoped for now was that if everything went to hell, Sakura chose their side.

But admittedly, even that was wishful thinking. She swore loyalty to none, took no sides, and fought for no one but herself.

"If you really want to find her, just wait. She'll come to you, but be prepared because you won't know how and you won't know when."

* * *

Her optic screen blinked to life as soon as she closed the door to her twenty second floor penthouse. Placing the bag of groceries down on the island counter—she found going to the local, rundown corner market where the homeless loitered and the prostitutes propositioned gave her some semblance of normalcy in her otherwise unconventional life—Sakura grabbed an apple and trekked over to the fine, glass piece of technology.

A female hologram materialized, impeccable in her white suit and long chocolate brown hair.

"Ayame."

"Good morning, Yukiko-san." An extensive profile appeared on the screen. "We have an important contract for you if you are willing to accept. The target's current location is Yakushima. Deadline for elimination is seven days from today with payment of 800 million yen upon completion."

Green eyes critically scanned the information, the reason why the target was worth so much crystal clear. "Danzo…" It was a name not to be taken lightly.

"Do you accept, Yukiko-san?"

Sakura lapsed into silence as she analyzed the full scope of the contract. It wouldn't be easy, this she already knew. Danzo was a ruthless man bent on his own ideals and definitions. It wasn't uncommon to hear about his own feuds with the syndicates in the power struggle to conquer all of Tokyo. His own organization, The Foundation, wasn't exactly made up of trigger happy morons either. It would be a difficult contract, but not impossible.

And besides, she needed more time to think about her own precarious situation involving the three syndicates. If they'd already discovered her true identity, there wasn't any doubt that Kakashi would've already warned the Uchiha brothers to stay off her back, given they were double agents for Konoha. She held too much precious intel for them to risk pissing her off and so she was counting on him to give her just a little more time to sort things out.

Decision made, Sakura glanced at the hologram and nodded. "Contract accepted." She placed her hand on the fiber optic screen and it quickly scanned her prints before phasing out.

"Confirmed. Further information will be forwarded within the hour."

Ayame's hologram faded, leaving Sakura with a mind already busy making plans and an uneaten apple.

* * *

**…_to be continued…_**

* * *


End file.
